 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rae
Date: 2001-02-20 22:20
what is the difference between an A maj clarinet and a Bb major clarinet
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Author: Al
Date: 2001-02-20 23:07
One half step. The Cl. in Bb sounds one whole tone lower than concert pitch. (e.g.,the piano). The Cl. in A sounds 1and1/2 steps lower than concert pitch and therefore, 1/2 step lower than the Bb Cl.
The reason for the Cl. in A is to simplify some ORCHESTRAL music. If the Concert pitch of a piece is, for example, E major,four sharps, the Bb Cl. would be in F# major, six sharps. But the Cl. in A would be in the key of G major, one sharp.
So the part would be written for the Cl. in A to make life simpler.
That's the general drift. You'll NEVER need a Cl. in A for playing in a band.
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Author: Rae
Date: 2001-02-20 23:24
thank you so much i dont play clarinet but i am taking IB music and one of our prescribed works is Mozarts Concerto in A maj for Clarinet and Piano and i was just doing some research thanks a bunch though you totally saved the day!
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Author: Bart Hendrix
Date: 2001-02-21 01:01
Are you asking about a clarinet in A vs. a clarinet in Bb, or a compostition written in the key of A maj?
The information in the earlier post about the difference between a clarinet in A and a clarinet in Bb (two different instruments) is excellent. However, I get the impression from your follow-up that you might have actually been asking about a composition (Mozart Concerto in A maj) written in the key of A maj. The previous posting explains why a Bb clarinet is called a Bb clarinet -- a fingered C on a Bb clarinet sounds as a Bb in concert pitch. On the other hand, a composition in A maj. would be based on the A maj. scale (whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step, whole-step, half-step starting with A and going up) having a key signature of five sharps.
"A major" in the title of the compostion refers to the key signature while Bb in the identification of a clarinet model refers to the concert pitch sounded when a C is fingered on the instrument.
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Author: Bart Hendrix
Date: 2001-02-21 01:07
Oops, trun on brain before engaging mouth. Make that A major with a key signature of three sharps.
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