Klarinet Archive - Posting 000129.txt from 2009/08
From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net> Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinets in F Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:03:50 -0400
Dan Leeson wrote:
> The Stravinsky work of which I speak is the Symphonies for Wind
> Instruments, and the part reads, "Clarinet in F."
Yes, my mistake. I don't know why I thought it was Firebird.
A little piece of historical trivia. I recently got hold of a PDF copy
of Berlioz' 'Treatise on Orchestration' -- it's freely downloadable from
the International Music Score Library project at:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Treatise_on_Instrumentation_(Berlioz,_Hector)
-- and this being a 19th-century work it has some interesting notes on
the alto clarinet in F (then a much more common instrument) and the
basset horn:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- The Alto Clarinet --
This is simply a clarinet in low F or Eb, and consequently a fifth below
the clarinets in C and Bb; it has their full range. It is written
transposed; the first one is a fifth, and the second one a major sixth
above their real sound.
It is a very beautiful instrument, but unfortunately is not to be found
in all well-constituted orchestras.
-- The Basset-Horn --
The basset-horn differs from the alto clarinet in low F only by having
the added little brass bell extending its lower end, and by its faculty
to descend chromatically to C, a third lower than the lowest note of the
clarinet.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am wondering who, out of Dan and Leinsdorf, will be more upset at
Berlioz' words ... :-)
Best wishes,
-- Joe
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