 The Fingering Forum
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Author: AltoFlute
Date: 2002-11-03 05:53
The A Clarinet...
What is the use of even having it around?
-it only plays one smeitone lower
-you can't play Bb Clarinet music on it, it must be all re-transposed
It seems like a dumb instrument
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-11-03 06:23
The A clarinet exists to make it easier to play in certain keys. For instance, would you rather play in the key of B on a Bb clarinet which would be in the key of C# with 7 sharps, or would you rather play it on an A clarinet which would have its part in the key of D with only two?
Like in the first movement of Capriccio Espagnol for example. Sure would suck to have to play that solo on a Bb clarinet in the key of B. But ah you don't have to with an A clarinet, which would be (and does) play in the key of C instead.
Instruments are built to accomodate music, not vice versa.
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Author: Gnomon
Date: 2002-11-03 14:25
All orchestral clarinet players have to have both a Bb clarinet to play music that is written in flat keys and an A clarinet to play music that is written in sharp keys. The play usually has one reed and mouthpiece which they share between the two clarinets. About half of all orchestral music is written for A clarinet rather than for Bb. Some players prefer to play everything on a Bb and get special transpositions where the music is transposed by a semitone.
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