 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ResourcefulHedgehog
Date: 2025-07-12 18:32
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I just received the part distribution for an orchestra I'm joining. On some of the pieces, I'm listed as "assistant clarinet" rather than with an actual part number. I'm confused which part this means I should practice- I assume it is clarinet 2?
For both the pieces where I am listed as "assistant clarinet" there is already one person on clarinet 1, one person on clarinet 2, and a bass clarinet. To make it even more confusing, when other people are listed as "assistant clarinet" in different pieces, they have been given an actual named part, so it says "assistant clarinet 1" or "assistant clarinet 2", whereas mine just says assistant clarinet.
Does this mean I am just supposed to assist whichever part is needed? So I have to practice both parts?? ![[huh]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie11.gif)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2025-07-12 18:42
Why not just ask the librarian or manager (or whomever is in charge of the group). Anyone here have make a guess, but there is only one way to know for sure.
You may be afraid to ask and look stupid, but that is far better than to show up unprepared and to look stupid for sure.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-07-13 06:54
ResourcefulHedgehog wrote:
> Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I just received the
> part distribution for an orchestra I'm joining. On some of the
> pieces, I'm listed as "assistant clarinet" rather than with an
> actual part number. I'm confused which part this means I should
> practice- I assume it is clarinet 2?
I would assume you're supposed to "assist" on the first part, playing only the louder passages (usually anything mezzo-forte or above) to keep the principal player from tiring. If fatigue is a concern, it would ordinarily be more with the 1st part than the 2nd.
Back in the early to mid-20th century (maybe earlier - I wasn't around to know) major orchestras had four-member wind sections *under contract.* If there were only two parts, management (sometimes the music director himself) not liking to pay contracted players for not playing, there would be an "assistant first" (who also played Eb clarinet) and an "assistant" second (who also played bass clarinet) - to double each part to thicken the orchestral sound in loud passages and let the principal players rest during "tutti" passages. Most orchestras seem by now to have dropped the practice. I think the last Philadelphia Orchestra music director to have used "assistants" for all the woodwind sections was Eugene Ormandy (who retired in 1980).
The one instrument that the Philadelphia Orchestra still, for some reason, uses an "assistant" for is French Horn.
Karl
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Author: ISM
Date: 2025-07-13 08:24
Karl,
That’s interesting. I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.
Imre
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