 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2016-06-29 23:46
I have an upcoming assignment from my teacher to play a Bach piece. Since I'm familiar with the 1st Suite (who isn't if you're a Yo Yo Ma fan).... I thought I might pick that.... prelude only for now.
My question... any suggestions regarding the arrangement? It seems most youtube posts have been Michael Davenports arrangement for bass clarinet, Alea Publishing.... Michael Lowenstern suggests the music for cello, not transposed.
Any insight would be appreciated.
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Author: CEC
Date: 2016-06-30 00:40
Hey Phil,
I use the Davenport arrangements. Using the original parts would be valuable if you want to learn to read bass clef. Either way is fine.
Chris
Post Edited (2016-06-30 01:47)
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2016-06-30 01:16
Thanks, Chris! I can read bass clef okay for piano, but have never tried to read it while playing horn. Sounds like it would just add to the challenge, come to think of it.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2016-06-30 10:57
There are three ways of playing the Suite No. 1 Prelude on the bass clarinet using the original cello music, such as the inexpensive Dover edition (kind of small print).
1. Add three sharps to the signature and play it as is, changing accidentals as needed. This makes it in four sharps on the bass clarinet.
2. Add four flats to the signature and play it as is, changing accidentals as needed. This makes it in three flats on the bass clarinet.
3. Transpose the bass clef to keep the notes sounding as written in the cello part. The low register part is easy, as you pretend that you are reading treble clef like a saxophone. The first note, a g in the cello part is played as an e in the treble clef, a fingered low a on the bass clarinet, sounding a real g.
The second register notes on the bass clarinet are not as easy and have to be worked out. For example, the third note in the piece, a b3 for the cello would be played as a c#2 on the bass clarinet, not so easy to find when reading.
Good luck!
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Author: Wes
Date: 2016-06-30 11:09
There are other ways, of course, such as reading it directly on the bass clarinet but a third down, a ledger line or a space for all notes, putting it in the real key of Bb concert. A great piece that I try to play on cello, as well.
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Author: audrey
Date: 2016-07-01 15:14
You can find them here : http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?collection=bachcello&preview=1.
It's possible, using the .ly files, to change the key and transpose as you wish using LilyPond opensource software.
It may seem complicated if you're not familiar with it but it's actually quite easy to use, espacially to just make that kind of changes.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2016-07-01 16:57
I've played, and always taught, using the original cello part too. I even have some movements on my website from a live performnce. I used them to teach reading bass clef as well as generally teaching the bass clarinet. Great music, great flexibility.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2016-07-01 17:29
Even cello editions have a lot of stuff that represents the opinion of editors, who can have widely different views on how to play Bach. If you're familiar with Baroque style and ornamentation, the Bärenreiter edition, which isn't hugely expensive, tries to reflect the original, and encourages you to make those decisions yourself. You need to nearly memorize the things to play them well anyway, so the clef and whether to transpose or not are only big things when you start out. It's nice to use the original pitch, because Bach wrote them that way for a reason.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-07-01 17:52
And then there was the conductor who ragged the orchestra mercilessly about every detail of a Bach Suite.
He was known as the Bach Suite Driver ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif) .
Ken Shaw
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2016-07-02 18:32
"Michael Lowenstern suggests the music for cello, not transposed." I like Michael's logic of doing this so that you can use your low C on bass clarinet. I transposed a public midi download and software transposed it to treble clef. The hard part for me is cycle breathing where needed. I can cycle breath on long held notes and some slow passages but not so good in all the places Michael does.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
Post Edited (2016-07-02 18:34)
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2016-07-02 18:58
I attempted playing some of my piano music's bass clef on my clarinet. That's a challenge! I found myself "translating" in my head rather than my fingers just finding the note when read.
Circular breathing? Ha ha.... when I attempted that I sounded like an ailing narwhal or something. (Not that I know what an ailing narwhal sounds like)
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