Klarinet Archive - Posting 000052.txt from 2009/11

From: Curtis Bennett <curtis.bennett@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:49:50 -0500

I think what Dan is saying here, is that if a composer writes a low D
on your part, and your instrument only goes to low E, or even low
E-flat, then that is a limitation on the players' part - not a fault
of the composers!!

HAHAHA

On Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 6:15 PM, Dan Leeson <dnleeson@-----.net> wrote:
>
> I was once asked to play that part in the Nilsson, so stop talking so muc=
h about a subject that is foreign to you. =A0In the real music world, one s=
ometime has to play parts and lines that contradict what the composer asked=
for. =A0But if one is a working musician, that is exactly what you are obl=
iged to do. You play what you have to play on whatever is available.
>
> As a player you should be working hard to improve the range and character=
of your instrument. =A0If you don't want to do that, that's OK with me, bu=
t don't criticize me for doing it. You are behaving like a stick in the mud=
.
>
> You know very well what my feelings are when department from the text, bu=
t if a conductor asks you to play turned around with your ass showing, then=
that is what you do.
>
> Dan Leeson
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Bowen" <bowenk@-----.com>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 4:04 PM
> Subject: RE: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>
>
>> Dan, I am shocked to my core. Play a bassoon part on a bass clarinet in =
A?
>> Might as well play the basset horn parts of the GP on tenor saxes. May I
>> refer you to your own article with Bob Levin which explains why that is =
such
>> a naughty thing to do?
>>
>> If the composer called for a bassoon with a toilet roll in the end that =
is
>> exactly what he should get.
>>
>> <shaking head and clucking tongue>
>>
>> Keith
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Dan Leeson [mailto:dnleeson@-----.net]
>> Sent: 07 November 2009 23:29
>> To: klarinet@-----.org
>> Subject: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>
>> Keith you are losing your imagination. =A0With a low C bass in A, I coul=
d play
>>
>> the bassoon part on the Nilsson quintet. =A0That's the one that requires=
the
>> bassoon to put in a cardboard tube that enables a descent to low A conce=
rt.
>>
>> In addition, why do you take such a narrow, parochial view which places =
you
>> in the position of being able to play what is out there. =A0You should b=
e
>> taking the role of having instruments that will encourage compositions f=
or
>> their extended range. =A0Stop being so passive about your instruments. =
=A0Be
>> more aggressive. =A0 If you had an A bass with a low C, you could get wo=
rks
>> commissioned that would those notes.
>>
>> To me your remarks are what I got from some clarinet salesmen when I ask=
ed
>> for a B-flat soprano that would enable a descent to low C, and what they
>> told me was that there was no need for a B-flat clarinet to play that lo=
w.
>>
>> And here I thought you were a 100% avant guard player.
>>
>> Dan Leeson
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Bowen" <bowenk@-----.com>
>> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 2:55 PM
>> Subject: RE: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>
>>
>>> Dan,
>>>
>>> I found fifty-seven works using the bass in A. Only one descended below=
E,
>>> and that was Eb, in the Berg Four Early Songs. I believe your Selmer ha=
d
>>> that fitted - certainly others in that Selmer batch did, as did 20th
>>> Century
>>> Heckels. If you know anything lower I need to know about it!
>>>
>>> So what would you do with those low notes, apart from give nice vibrati=
ons
>>> to the flutist sitting in front of you? To my knowledge, the only score=
s
>>> using lower notes (e.g. Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff) only use Bb basses.
>>>
>>> Keith Bowen
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Dan Leeson [mailto:dnleeson@-----.net]
>>> Sent: 07 November 2009 22:19
>>> To: klarinet@-----.org
>>> Subject: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>>
>>> You are absolutely right Roger. =A0One cannot hold down a bass clarinet
>>> chair
>>> in a symphony orchestra today without the low C. =A0When I had my bass
>>> clarinet in A made, I asked for the same thing, but Selmer refused. If =
I
>>> were to do it again today, I'd have Fox make a low C bass in A for me.
>>>
>>> Dan Leeson
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Hewitt" <rogerclarinet@-----.=
co.uk>
>>> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 1:33 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>>
>>>
>>> I see plenty of low Ds on Bass Clarinet parts (and occasionally Cs) and=
I
>>> just wish I could afford an instrument to go there. =A0The "standard" i=
s Eb,
>>> course, but many composers would expect the low C extension to be
>>> available
>>> in professional bands and orchestras.
>>>
>>> Roger Hewitt
>>>
>>> --- On Sat, 7/11/09, Dan Leeson <dnleeson@-----.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> From: Dan Leeson <dnleeson@-----.net>
>>>> Subject: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>>> To: klarinet@-----.org
>>>> Date: Saturday, 7 November, 2009, 19:46
>>>> That is probably true. Even the
>>>> best of us would find it difficult to create a usable harp
>>>> part. And clarinets are particularly bummered up
>>>> because of the added complexity of being a transposing
>>>> instrument.
>>>>
>>>> I once played a Sousa piece (don't remember which one, but
>>>> it was a suite of some sort) that called for a low D on the
>>>> bass clarinet. It was a perfectly good note, but I
>>>> think that Sousa may have been uncertain about the lower
>>>> limits of a clarinet.
>>>>
>>>> Dan Leeson
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Vaccaro" <mike@-----.co=
m>
>>>> To: <Klarinet@-----.org>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 11:12 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> > I think that many times orchestrators and composers
>>>> don't know what our instruments do or sometimes even the
>>>> range. I run across this quite often even with fine
>>>> composer/orchestrators.
>>>> > Mike Vaccaro
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > This e-mail may contain information that is privileged
>>>> or confidential.
>>>> > If you are not the intended recipient, please delete
>>>> the e-mail and any attachments and notify us immediately.
>>>> >
>>>> > --------------------------------------------------
>>>> > From: "Clark Fobes" <claroneman@-----.net>
>>>> > Sent: Friday, November 06, 2009 3:09 PM
>>>> > To: <Klarinet@-----.org>
>>>> > Subject: [kl] Interesting C clarinet part
>>>> >
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> I was subbing for a rehearsal of Othello with the
>>>> SF Opera a few days ago
>>>> >> and was very interested to see a written low D in
>>>> the 2nd clarinet part
>>>> >> which in that section was for C clarinet. I
>>>> wonder if Verdi was writing for
>>>> >> a specific instrument or if he just did not know
>>>> that the soprano clarinets
>>>> >> did not go that low? Verdi was such a wonderful
>>>> orchestrator by the time he
>>>> >> got to his late Operas that you would think he
>>>> would be aware of the range
>>>> >> of all of the woodwinds.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Clark W Fobes
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> if you get the digest.
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> if you get the digest.
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> if you get the digest.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signat=
ure
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>>
>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
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>> http://www.eset.com
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>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signat=
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>> database 4582 (20091107) __________
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>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
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>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>

--
Curtis Bennett

------------------------------------------------------------------