 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ken
Date: 2001-03-05 10:25
Hi
I intend to purchase a new Alto Clarinet. Any recommendations?
BTW, is an alto a really useful instrument in a band?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-03-05 12:48
ken wrote:
> Hi
> I intend to purchase a new Alto Clarinet. Any recommendations?
> BTW, is an alto a really useful instrument in a band?
Curiosity - why would you consider spending all that money if you're not sure if the alto is a useful instrument in a band?
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Author: Al
Date: 2001-03-05 15:26
Ken,
I agree with Mr. Charette. It's a nice instrument but if one could do without one instrument in his band it ,sadly, would be the alto clarinet. Virtually all of its passages are doubled somewhere else in the ensemble. Rethink your priorities.
Al
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-03-05 16:35
Alto clarinet is the forgotten, under-appreciated member of the family. If you love it, go for it. The best instruments are probably the older Selmers, which often come up on eBay, along with top of the line Buffet and Leblanc instruments. You'll probably do best, and certainly save a lot of money, by getting one of them. Stay away from the off brands and plastics. Make sure you get one with a low Eb, as the "bell" notes (E/B) are usually awful on altos.
Mouthpieces are a problem. It's probably best to get a Selmer C* and send it to Everett Matson to make it playable. Use softish reeds.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-03-05 19:03
Unfortunately, Eb alto clarinets got a bad rap and the red-headed step children of the clarinet family. They play an extremely limited role in concert band literature, the only pieces I can even think of off the top of my head where the horn's featured is the 4th movement (Andante) of Norman Dello Joio's "Variants on a Mediaeval Tune" (solo line doubled with the first Bassoon), a few measures in Philip Sparke's "Dance Movements" and the Boosey & Hawkes transcription of Copland's "Outdoor Overture". By design the instrument is stuffy, inflexible and a constant battle when attempting to take command of it. It's not a pleasant experience for me and I'm always on eggshells when saddled with it...about as fun as a tax audit. It seems you're forever on the defensive wondering when it's going to suddenly bark at you.
If it was me, I'd avoid the self torture (we already have enough headaches laboring our lives away mastering the Bb) and consider looking into/taking up the F Basset instead. They're overall much better made instruments, the color is practically indistinguishable from the Alto, they're richer/fuller sounding, more responsive and musically flexible and most of alot more FUN to play. Another good quality it has an extended lower range and you can opo out that gorgeous pedal C...transpose up a step on your concert band parts and just go.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-03-05 20:57
We are blessed having several knowledgable Kens discussing our [ugly, perish the thot] cl stepchild. Like in Music Man, "Anvils have a limited appeal!" I have a Selmer like Ken S suggested. I had and sold-gave to a Tulsa teacher a good wood LeBlanc. The L had bigger volume capability, my S has [in my estimation] more nearly the tonality of a Basset horn and has nearly the range. These and the Buffet, [is there a good Yamaha?] are the best I know of.. Ken #1, be sure to get a FULL plateau model if you look on EBAY, mouthpiece choice is more demanding, my VanDoren B44 is my next to best, an old hard rubber Olympia is best, believe a good/old Bundy 3 is tolerable. Except for being needed in cl choirs, altos generally are volume-covered-up by alto saxes, french horns etc in community bands. I usually play bass cl, what times I've played alto, I've seen very few "solos" compared to those on bass. Others, please comment. Don
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-03-05 21:28
MY BAND INSTRUCTOR TOLD ME THE ALTO CLARINET ISN'T WORTH THE MONEY BECAUSE IT ISN'T USED MUCH (I WAS INTERESTED IN THE ALTO CLARINET ABOUT A YEAR AGO)
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Author: Pam
Date: 2001-03-05 21:56
The Dahl Sinfonietta also has an important Alto clarinet part, a big solo at the end of the second movement. I have a Bundy that I bought off of Ebay for $125. It has a huge sound. I like the open holes, which the professional models don't have for some reason. I use a C* mouthpiece and 3.5 Vandorens with it. I'm happy with it.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-03-05 23:25
Yes Don, Yamaha makes an excellent Basset, I got one on loan from an Air Force Field band to do a recording of the Mendelssohn Concertpiece #2. I don't recall the model but it was about four years old, in mint condition, retailed for about $4,800 and a veritable dream to play!!!
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Author: deejay
Date: 2001-03-06 00:58
>I intend to purchase a new Alto Clarinet. Any recommendations?
My school has two Noblet wood alot clarinet. They place nicely with a good tone.
>BTW, is an alto a really useful instrument in a band?
I hardly ever see alto clarinets in concert or marching band. "Regular" clarinets are mot needed than alto, as my band director puts it. clarinets are the "voilin" of the band.
deejay
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-03-06 10:50
If you want a charming instrument to play around with at home, the basset horn is the one. Pitched in F it can also dep for horns or cor anglais. There is quality repertoire (if you are fortunate enough to get involved) like Mozart Requiem/Gran Partita/various Divertimenti, the Mendelssohn mentioned above and others. Seems to me to be no contest, unless you want to get into a band which has a full complement of the other clarinets, in which case alto may be your passport, but beware being forever type cast.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-03-06 14:56
Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posey has an alto clarinet solo in canon with bassoon, I think, in one of the slower movements. Grainger wrote an alternative version without the solo alto, and the piece is often played that way, because alto clarinets and alto clarinet players tend to be weak.
Ken Shaw
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-03-06 20:12
I just restored a wood Leblanc (their top-of-the-line) alto clarinet for a friend, and I was not terribly impressed by the instrument. Although it was generally sturdy and well-made, I feel that the single-register-key mechanism and complete lack of tonehole undercutting on the Leblanc are more typical of intermediate or student instruments, and should not have been seen on a supposedly professional-grade horn. And when all was said and done, it played OK but not great. Personally, I would look elsewhere for top-grade alto clarinets (or bass clarinets, for that matter --- I have the same gripes with Leblanc on their larger clarinets).
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Author: Laura
Date: 2001-03-19 01:06
I had a Selmer 9 (1955) Depose Alto clar. It played well, great sound, but mid. Bb was unbelievably flat- tried everything! Replaced it with a Leblanc older pro model 420, plays very well, so far I'm happy with it, like the key feeling and reach for me. Leblanc does have a bad rep. for their larger clarinets, but this one is very good. Have a Buffet bass clarinet very happy with that one.
Alto in band -parts are doubled quite often. But if you feel you want to really play alto, start a clarinet ensemble. Then you will have opportunites to play key parts, and clarinet ensembles are simply a gas! A bunch of us in the Detroit area just started one up last Nov. We are really enjoying ther ensemble and the people in the group, are all excellent musicians.
Our web site is: www.windsongclars.com
Laura
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