Klarinet Archive - Posting 000049.txt from 2008/09

From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: NY Counterpoint for clarinet choir
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:10:23 -0400

Simon Aldrich wrote:
> I am wondering if certain parts in the original instrumentation could
> simply be transposed to contrabass, contra-alto, alto and Eb, fleshing
> out the sound in the process perhaps.

Well ... the thing is, NYC [Ooo! Nice acronym...] is so precisely
written, I think you'd damage it if you tried rearranging it. Each of
the parts is a definite solo line and uniformity of colour is very
important -- for example, often the soloist will start a pattern which
will then be picked up and continued by a tape part, building up layer
after layer, so that it really is important that all the lines be
_clarinets_ (and, preferably, the _same_ clarinet that is playing the
soloist -- one acquaintance of mine played NYC on basset clarinet
because it was the only instrument on which he could match the sound of
the Boosey and Hawkes stock tape).

> Someone on another list suggested Gavin Bryars' Three Elegies (a piece
> supposedly inspired by New York Counterpoint which has contra and altos
> in it).

It's a lovely lovely piece, well worth trying -- just be aware that it
needs some advanced techniques (multiphonics are used in several
places). See:
http://www.gavinbryars.com/Pages/three_elegies.html

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