Klarinet Archive - Posting 000200.txt from 2011/03

From: "Dan Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Basset Horn Question
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:24:24 -0400


Tom, your basic premise that the basset horn has the same fingerings as
every other clarinet, is false. While everything down to low written E is
essentially the same (with some notes have two fingerings, one on the left
and one on the right), but after that it gets hairy. There are often
several fingerings for low E-flat, D, D-flat, and C, and these notes do not
exist on a traditional clarinet, though they are present on a basset
clarinet. There are also false fingerings that function beautifully on a
basset horn but which do not work well on a clarinet.

These differences are non trivial. For example, the Mendelssohn
concertpiece contain intervals that cannot be played on a Selmer basset
horn. You cannot get from low C to several other notes. When I brought this
up to Selmer by demonstrating the problem at their Paris office, they
thanked me for my insight and forgot about the matter.

These differences between clarinet and basset horn cannot be ignored.

Dan Leeson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Bassett" <bassettt1@-----.com>
To: "klarinet" <klarinet@-----.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: [kl] Basset Horn Question

>
>
> Danyel,
>
> To my knowledge, (correct me if I'm wrong) the Bassett horn is the same
> fingerings as every other clarinet. Since I play clarinet I don't see how
> I would write incorrectly for the bassett horn. What I understood you to
> mean was... I would write better for clarinet if I had a friend that was a
> virtuoso but I wouldn't write well for it if I actually play it myself
> which is the case. I know there is a difference in timbre but I don't see
> how that could effect how well the notes lay on the instrument or how it
> could effect my ability to imagine how it would sound with the other
> clarinets. I could kind of see your point if you were talking to a brand
> new composition student just writing their very first pieces and did not
> know anything about any clarinet in which case I would say stick with what
> you know to start. I'm not professional but I'm not a beginner either. I
> guess I just dont quite understand your thinking on this subject.
>
> Tom
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