Klarinet Archive - Posting 000046.txt from 2011/11

From: Simon Aldrich <simonaldrich@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:09:51 -0500

>We're doing Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and I've been asked if I want to
>play Bass Clarinet or 2nd Clarinet. I don't have access to the score, and
>have to give an answer soon. I LOVE playing bass clarinet, but don't want
>to take the part if I'll be tacet most of the piece or if the 2nd part has
>great and glorious things in it. Does anyone have the score or maybe have
>played one or the other part?

I've played all three parts. In this piece the 2nd part does indeed have great and glorious things in it. The 2nd part is much more soloistic than most second parts, due to the fact that many of the clarinet solos in this piece are for both 1st and 2nd clarinets at the same time (to wonderful effect).
The bass part, while important, has less "to do" than the second part. The bass is tacet for the second movement, the first third of the 1st movement and for all but about 25 measures of the 4th movement.
If this is a paying gig, pecuniary considerations might make one choose the bass part over the 2nd part, since the bass doubles on Bb and A. In fact the 3rd part has more soprano clarinet in it than bass.

Simon

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