 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: AC13
Date: 2008-12-09 03:19
Hi all,
The symphony I am in just received our new music...Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. Movements I, II, and IV are in A. I keep doubting myself while trying to transpose it to Bb. I'm not quite sure what to do when it comes to accidentals and finding out the right key signature (ie the second movement has four flats)...Could anybody lay out some solid rules? I know you have to go one half-step lower, but the little things like trills and accidentals are tripping me up. I can still figure it out by ear (perfect pitch is really convenient) , but I would like something solid to stand on as well.
Thank you!!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-12-09 03:38
If the part is written for A clarinet and you want to play it using the Bb clarinet, everything is transposed down a half-step.
Start the piece a half tone lower and in essence, you would be adding 5 sharps to the key signature.
Thus, in the opening of the work (Alborada) you would be playing in B major (on the Bb clarinet) , instead of C major (on the A clarinet).
My advice? Borrow, rent or purchase an A clarinet. If you are serious about playing in an orchestra, it is something you must have.
...GBK
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Author: clarinetwoman
Date: 2008-12-09 15:27
contact me off line. elmanantial18@yahoo.com
I have a part that is transposed that I could let you borrow
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Author: BG ★2017
Date: 2008-12-09 16:36
My suggestion with 46 years of orchestral playing experience would be to thank clarinetwoman for her generous offer and perhaps even take her up on the offer. (Absolutely no disrespect to clarinetwoman!) Then as soon as the part arrives and you have seen it with the five sharps, etc., and played it once up to tempo, take up GBK's advice immediately!
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-12-09 17:04
You just play everything a semitone lower than written.
That's it.
No special rules for accidentals, trills or anything else.
.....
GBK wrote: "In essence, you would be adding 5 sharps to the key signature."
Actually, not quite correct. You add five sharps, and move everything down one line or space on the stave.
Or to put it another way: "Add seven flats to the key signature, and leave the notes in the same position on the stave."
The advantage of thinking of it as "add seven flats" is that you don't have to move the notes down the stave. The disadvantage is that it becomes very cumbersome if the key signature already contains flats.
So, for example, if an A clarinet part is written in D major (two sharps), then it will sound in B major concert. On the Bb clarinet, you must play it in Db major (five flats), so it sounds in Cb major concert - enharmonically the same. This is relatively easy to do.
If an A clarinet part is written in Ab major (four flats), then it will sound in F major concert. On the Bb clarinet you must play it in Abb major (eleven flats, or, if you prefer, three flats and four double flats), then it will sound in Gbb major concert. This is not at all easy to do, because we aren't used to key signatures containing double flats.
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Author: AC13
Date: 2008-12-09 19:39
Ah, I see. I will ask my teacher if I can borrow her A clarinet (this is a youth symphony, so I don't exactly own my own yet). My friend will upload the music and have it transposed on Finale if that plan fails, but thank you very much for your offer clarinetwoman!!
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