 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joanna
Date: 2004-05-08 01:27
I have this amazing A clarinet...it's a Buffet and has this great tone. I used it for the Mozart Clarinet Concerto that I played two years ago and now it is just sitting in my room. Can someone recommend some good music to play with an A clarinet? Should I sell it?
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Author: SVSorna05
Date: 2004-05-08 03:54
...hmmm that doesn't sound like to big of a problem you could just put it in a box and send it to me I could use a new A clarinet....Just a thought
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Author: Robyn
Date: 2004-05-08 04:40
Depends on what you plan on doing with clarinet in the future. If you plan on playing in an orchestra, then definitely keep it. Same if you want to do more serious solo work. There are a lot of pieces (Stravinsky's Three Pieces come to mind because I'm playing them right now) that use an A clarinet. If you are only going to play in band, you won't need it, but my opinion is you should hang on to it.
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Author: jo.clarinet
Date: 2004-05-08 06:14
Remember that you can play any of your pieces for Bb clarinet on the A when you're playing on your own at home!
I'd definitely keep it if I were you. The more, the merrier! I've now got 8 assorted Bbs and As, and I play them all regularly - it's great fun!
Joanna Brown
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Author: RAMman
Date: 2004-05-08 14:46
Can I believe my ears???
"Hang on...I've done the Mozart...so I'm clearly never going to need this A clarinet again..."
Nielsen conerto, Brahsm trio and 5tet, Mozart 5tet, Schumann Fantasiestucke, orchestral work and so on and so on...
How about relearning the Mozart? Surely you must have improved in two years? How about this, have it converted into a basset clarinet, that way you know you'll have to do the Mozart again!
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-05-08 15:36
There are lots of good works for A clarinet...
Francaix - Tema con Variazioni
Hindemith - Concerto
Honegger - Sonatine
These are three that I really like that just popped to mind. There are many more I could think of if I had the time. I would say definitely keep it. If you are in a position to prepare/perform chamber music, why not just get a song written for A clarinet and put the thing to good use??
DH
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-05-08 15:45
Buy the complete parts to some of the standard orchestral works which use A (and/or Bb) clarinet.
Get the recordings.
Learn the part(s).
Play along with the recordings... GBK
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2004-05-08 17:01
I am with those who say that you should keep it. There´s so many orchestral parts where you need the A.
In my school´s orchestra it is a must to have an A. We are playing parts where you need the A clarinet even more than the Bb.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-05-08 18:06
Or....., you could just make it into a lamp.
(don't worry everyone, just kidding)
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-05-08 21:41
i agree with the first post- send it to me, to me, to meeeeeeee
donald
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Author: Joanna
Date: 2004-05-08 22:53
I played the Mozart for a music festival and now I play it just to play it because I love the piece. I am not in an orchestra and now the majority of my solos for these shows are for the Bb. I feel guilty letting my beautiful A clarinet sit there so I wanted to hear what you all thought. I think I will keep it for the time being.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2004-05-09 07:48
Keep it, of course. You will come to enjoy the different sounds than the Bb. It seems like a good idea to practice Klose on it plus those pieces written for A clarinet. It will not depreciate much further and is probably as good an investment as a bank account. You'll probably want it later. I bought a new A about 5 years ago and have played it relatively little elsewhere. Yet, it feels so good to play it. Good luck!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-05-10 14:52
Joanna -
About half the great music written for clarinet calls for the instrument in A:
Mozart Concerto
Mozart Quintet
Brahms Quintet
Brahms Trio
Hindemith Concerto
Nielsen Concerto
Spohr Concerto # 4
Saint-Saens Tarantelle
Schumann Romances (orig. for oboe)
Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, Mendelssohn Symphonies
Bach arias with oboe d'amour obbligato
If you have any desire to be a symphony player, or be in a woodwind quintet, or play chamber music, you will absolutely need a clarinet in A.
Good A clarinets are hard to find. It costs you nothing to keep it.
On the other hand, if you play only for your own pleasure, or only in a band, and you need the money, by all means sell it to someone who needs a good instrument and will play it.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-05-10 16:15
Perhaps find a new activity in which to use it.
I have recently begun rehearsing with a Western band (Western Swing and Cowboy Songs) and have borrowed an A so that I can play more freely in keys like E, A and D concert.
If you want to sell your horn, drop me an email--I'm in the market for one.
But my honest advice is to consider the fact that your A clarinet is a bridge now only to bowed string players, but to fretted string players as well. Perhaps you could team up with a guitarist for some duos.
Allen Cole
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-05-10 21:04
yes- Allen Cole makes a great point, i have used my A clarinet often when playing in Blues/funk/Jazz groups for this reason. On the B flat clarinet the Keys of F# and B are not fun to improvise in but are easy keys for the Guitar (for them, E and A). Of course, i am a pretty shoddy jazzer, and if i'd really put the hard hours in then this wouldn't be an issue. I'll bet Eddie Daniels never "cheats" this way.
donald
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Author: CPW
Date: 2004-05-10 21:31
One thought....wood is scarce
Prices go up...never down
Consider it an investment.Put it in your portfolio.
I paid 385 for a Mark 6 Tenor too many years ago to remember.
Wish my stocks did that well
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2004-05-11 18:59
My humble suggestions:
1)Use it for daily scale or long tone practices in stead of the B-flat one.
French players, such as Guy Dunguin, recommends this to obtain
a longer air column(colon d'air) length, which, they say, gives more
projection and deepness of sound than when played with shorter-tube
clarinets.
2)Any famous solo pieces with many sharps or flats can be played more
easily with an A clarinet by transposing them: ex. the 2nd piece of
Schuman's Fantasie Stucke.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2004-05-11 21:06
Practice on it. It sounds mellower, it will help your air flow and the Bflat will seem easier to play. It's the principle of the Roman legions.
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