 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Patrick Scully
Date: 2002-08-01 07:56
Greetings,
I'm posting this as I promised this morning. Let me know how these fingerings work for you.
Regards,
Patrick
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Recommended Basic Altissimo Fingerings for Leblanc Eb and BBb Contrabass Clarinets (Models 340 and 350 “Paperclip”)
By Patrick F. Scully, Contrabass Clarinet
In 1991, Terje Lerstad of Oslo published altissimo fingering charts for the bass and contra clarinets that are frequently used and cited by contra clarinet players all over the world, including, most recently, Mr. Ken Shaw who contributes frequently to this group (Sneezy).
In publishing those fingering charts, not to mention in scoring and playing the altissimo of the contrabass clarinets frequently, Mr. Lerstad was defying conventional wisdom, which held that the lower clarinets were useless in their upper ranges and that the altissimo was all but unplayable on the contras.
Like Mr. Lerstad, I believe that the conventional wisdom is quite wrong, especially when applied to the contrabass clarinets in solo, small ensemble, and wind symphony settings. The entire range of the clarinet, and more, is theoretically (and on some contras, in fact) available and musically useful and distinct.
In this post, I would like to support and dignify Mr. Lerstad’s pioneering observations and contributions to our understanding of altissimo fingerings. I offer here the result of my own effort to extend and validate Mr. Lerstad's work, especially as it applies to the Leblanc Eb and BBb contrabass clarinets (Models 350 and 340 respectively).
The fingerings indicated here should work equally well on the “straight” Leblanc contras, which are similar to the 340 and 350 but have a range to low written Eb, as well as the Vito contra alto and contrabass clarinets, which have keywork similar to the straight Leblanc contras.
I urge performers who play the contra clarinets encompassed by my work to experiment with the fingerings here and to report the results and any improvements or suggestions here on Sneezy. In this way, the art of contrabass clarinet playing will continue to advance rapidly, and the very unfortunate underuse of this instrument (often based on misinformation) will come to an end at last.
Let’s dive in with the fingerings straightaway. After the fingering chart, I include a discussion which should answer the question “WHY?”--- why should anybody be interested in playing altissimo notes on the contra clarinet?
BASIC ALTISSIMO FINGERINGS FOR THE LEBLANC Eb and BBb Contrabass Clarinets (Models 350 and 340).
Notation Conventions:
I follow the notation used in the charts found at www.wfg.sneezy.org/basscl_alt_2.html. The keys indicated are depressed, keys not indicated are left in their default position. The coding for the keys is as follows:
R=”octave” (register vent) key
T=LH thumb plateau key
1,2,3 when on either side of the separator = LH or RH plateau keys for the index, middle, and ring fingers respectively
1,2,3,4 when subscript, for the RH = the RH trill keys, actuated by the LH index finger. 1,2,3 are not present on the BBb. 1 not present on the Eb.
C,C# when subscript, for the LH = the LH thumb keys for the extended low range. These keys not present on the Bb clarinet
|= separator for the LH and RH keys
G#,F,F#,E,Eb when subscript for the RH = the RH grizzly claw (pinky finger) keys. Configuration differs and some key(s) not present on Bb clarinet
C#, D, F, F#, E when superscript for the LH = the LH pinky finger keys, including the extended low D. . Configuration differs and some key(s) not present on Bb clarinet
A, G# when superscript for the LH = the LH “palm” keys for the bridge A and G#
For example, here is the fingering for the chalumeau C: T123|---. And for the clarion G: RT123|--- Finally, the bridge A and the chalumeau F: A---|---, T123|123F
The range covered here is from written C# above the treble staff to the C above the treble staff (C#3 to C4).
Note Instrument Fingering Comment
C#3 BBb, Eb RT-23|12-
C#3 BBb, Eb R-1--|---
D3 Eb R----|---
D3 BBb --23|12-| can’t attack
Eb3 Eb R-G#---|---
Eb3 Eb RTG#123|-2- lip down
Eb3 BBb TG#123|123F can’t attack
E4 Eb R-A---|--- slur, lip down
E4 Eb RTG#123|---
E4 BBb TG#123|---
F4 Eb,BBb RT123C#|123
F#4 Eb,BBb RT12-|123
G4 Eb,BBb RT1--|123
G#4 Eb RT1--|---
G#4 Eb RT--|---G#
G#4 Eb,BBb RT-23|123F# lip down on BBb
A4 Eb,BBb RT-23|123
Bb4 Eb,BBb RTG#---|---
B4 Eb RTG#123|---
B4 BBb RTG#123C#|---
C4 Eb,BBb RT1--|12-
Notes:
Nomenclature:
Where I indicate “can’t attack”, I mean that the note cannot be sounded without slurring from another note that is close in pitch, unless the player is able to “feather” the register key during the attack, as recommended by Mr. Lerstad. The BBb instrument has two critical notes – D3 and Eb3 -- that cannot be attacked. By contrast, the Leblanc Eb contrabass clarinet has continuous facility in the altissimo when the fingerings I recommend here are used.
Where I indicate “lip down”, I mean that the player must take care to play the note in tune by adjusting his embouchure and/or breath support. The note tends to be sharp.
Setup:
All of the fingerings shown were tested by me this evening on the Leblanc Eb and BBb contrabass clarinets (models 350 and 340), using a Charles Fobes “San Francisco” contrabass clarinet mouthpiece, Rovner ligature, and Vandoren #2 contrabass clarinet reed. The mouthpiece and reed were moved from instrument to instrument. The fingerings will work with other setups as well.
This test setup is not optimal for the BBb contrabass clarinet, but can be used when doubling in an ensemble. For the BBb, a #3 (or harder) reed should be used for better intonation in all registers and for better altissimo response. Also, some players will find the WWandBW or Leblanc contrabass clarinet mouthpieces will be more stable than the Fobes in the chalumeau and over the break on the BBb instrument.
The Fobes mouthpiece, which is derived from a Selmer C* blank, produces a beautiful timbre in the clarion on both Eb and BBb instruments, with the Eb sounding much like a bass clarinet chalumeau, and the BBb sounding like a rounded tenor saxophone. However, the WWBW and Leblanc pieces provide more stability and power than the Fobes, especially in the chalumeau. The WWBW produces a saxophone-like clarion on both Eb and BBb contras. For small ensemble, orchestra, or solo work, the Fobes is recommended; otherwise the player should use the standard WWBW or Leblanc mouthpiece.
DISCUSSION
I have discussed the compass of the contra clarinets, with reference to the altissimo at some length in several newsgroup posts, which I will paraphrase below. Before I do, let me share with the reader Mr. Lerstad’s views on the subject, which he expressed a decade ago:
“In the years since the debut of the bass clarinet in Meyerbeer's The Huguenots, in 1832, the instrument's altissimo register has been underrated, if not completely ignored. In recent years, however, through the work of soloists such as Harry Sparnaay, Josef Horak and Eric Dolphy, attention has been drawn to the extremely wide range of the instrument. Therefore it has become necessary to codify the fingerings of the altissimo register, which differ greatly from those of the soprano clarinet. With a knowledge of the best fingerings this high range becomes very flexible and usable.
Although the compass is in theory virtually unlimited, it can safely be said that the bass clarinet can reach chromatically to a written C two octaves above the C played with the thumb and the register key…”
Terje Lerstad, Oslo, 1991
Mr Lerstad’s observations apply to the contrabass clarinets as well, and in his article, he provided two octaves of altissimo fingerings for the contras. After all, the theoretical compass of the contrabass clarinet is even broader than that of the bass clarinet.
Here are some of my own observations concerning the altissimo range of the contra clarinets (reproduced from posts I’ve made to internet newsgroups and discussion forums):
From www.sneezy.org (bulletin board):
“One of the important reasons to own a contrabass clarinet (or a low C bass clarinet) is to be able to play bassoon parts… The entire range of the bassoon lies within the range of the standard Eb contrabass...
My experience with my Leblanc Eb contrabass clarinet in the altissimo has been such that the woodwind quintet in which I'm a member is undergoing a transformation from a group in which the Eb contrabass clarinet "substituted" for the bassoon to one in which the contra clarinet has become a viable alternative to it, creating a wonderful and different blend of textures for the quintet format. “
From www.yahoogroups.com (bass clarinet), this post covers several aspects of scoring for the contrabass clarinet:
“I too have noted that the different contrabass clarinets, like the
saxophones, have distinct personalities, tonal characteristics, and
technical playing challenges. Each is a distinct instrument, with a
unique musical contribution to make over its entire range, not just
in its lowest (for the lower clarinets) or highest (for the Eb and Ab clarinets) registers. One might even go so far as to say that each of the clarinets "deserves to be heard" as a solo instrument (though this argument leaves me a little queasy because it implies that even if an instrument (or register thereon) lacks a euphonic, enjoyable sound, it should be imposed on us anyway).
Fortunately, and I will speak mostly for the clarinets with which I'm most familiar - the bass and the contrabass clarinets - there is no need for a "clarinets with disabilities act" that has the listener suffering through inappropriate high or low notes, because all the playable registers on all the clarinets can sound quite beautiful on their own.
It is true that, in scoring for a clarinet choir (including the choir embedded in the concert band), the default assignment of lines is done according to instrument range. This approach emphasizes the lower registers of the lower clarinets, and the upper registers of the high clarinets. It is not a bad default, but it is just a default, and scorers familiar with the unique beauty of each kind of clarinet will use its entire range at some point. Why? Because significant technical arranging and musical performance problems result if the default is used in all cases.
The first problem is that parts for clarinet are often derived from
parts for other instruments that have wide pitch compasses. This is
especially true of the concert band literature, but it is also true
of solo, wind ensemble, pop, and jazz. Those parts are far less
likely to obey a restricted "useful" or "good" range, than they are
the full range of the clarinet. The better the mapping of the
original part to the clarinet transcription, the more natural
sounding the result will be, all other things remaining equal.
A good example of this (mainly because I'm personally very familiar
with it) is the playing of parts, on the Eb contrabass (contra alto) clarinet, written originally for bassoon. I encounter this in a woodwind quintet, in which I'm the "bassoon" player, as well as in large wind ensembles, where I sightread bassoon parts on the Eb
contra about 25% of the time.
I feel the Eb contra is the ideal clarinet to use to play parts
originally conceived for the bassoon, because the entire range of the bassoon, including the lowest notes, lies within the range of the standard Eb contrabass clarinet. More importantly, we've found that a woodwind quintet using the Eb contrabass clarinet is a very
effective ensemble in its own right, with smooth and sonorous blend
of timbres all its own.
Having said that, one of the most useful and beautiful ranges of the bassoon is its altissimo, and so that range is heavily used in
quintet and other parts. This means that playing the altissimo on
the Eb contra, and playing it well, is for me an essential skill. If I attempted to stick with the comfortable and easier lower notes on the contra by playing the bassoon altissimo an octave lower, the
result could be almost as musically jarring as the complete failure
to play the passage.
But the most important reason that I view the "default" pitch
assignment of clarinets, in my own arranging, simply as a starting
point, is this: using the default consistently is like trying to
render the colors of nature with a restricted pallette, as was done
in the very recent past by personal computer video systems. We all
know that pictures drawn with restricted pallettes of just a few
colors, whether visual or aural, are sensed as artificial and lacking in depth and warmth. Why not use the great variety of pleasing sound colors available in all the registers of all the clarinets?
Composers and arrangers should be mindful of the limitations of the
various clarinets, and of clarinet players too. However, a focus on
limits that are more folk tale than hard fact could have led to some underuse of the bass (and lower) clarinets, especially in symphonic wind ensembles where the clarinet choir otherwise plays a central role. There are grains of truth in the folk tales -- that's what keeps 'em alive. Too many clarinet teachers and schools at one time or another placed "dim bulbs" in the bass and contra chairs, and this may reflect on the reputation of the instruments for some people. But the dim bulbs brighten over time (and with practice, as I can attest), and in any event, they are not the legitimate focus of scoring for the clarinet...unless you're writing etudes or method books.”
Patrick F. Scully, Los Angeles 2002
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Author: Patrick
Date: 2002-08-01 15:30
Ted,
I didn't test my fingerings on the bass clarinet (or cross check against other fingering charts). Some of them will have bad tuning or will be harder to play than the fingerings devised by Terje Lersted for the bass clarinet.
Ken Shaw included links to Lersted's fingering chart on his post (I think it was around #11 in the thread "Low C Bass Clarinet versus Contra Clarinet"). If I recall correctly, Mr. Lerstad devised fingerings for about 2 octaves of bass clarinet altissimo...yup right up through written C5, unison with the highest note that is accepted as part of the Bb clarinet range!
This is one of the great things about the low woodwinds. They have wider ranges! This seems to be in part because sounding the higher harmonics on the soprano woodwinds requires more accurate register venting than is possible with the usual one register vent or the "artificial" vents created by altissimo fingerings on those instruments.
Bass saxophone players sometimes speak of 5 octaves of range, whereas the "standard" range extends barely past 2 1/2 octaves.
Patrick
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Author: Terje Lerstad
Date: 2002-08-24 09:33
Thank you for an interesting article. I had no idea that so many
people would read my article about the fingerings for contrabass
clarinet. I agree with you on most of the opinions about why and
how to use the instruments.
Some clearing up:
The article about bass clarinet appeared in "The Clarinet" in 1983.
My co-author was Thomas Aber from Kansas. We both sudied in the
Hague 1981-82, and the article is a sum-up of all the collective
experience of the several students of Harry Sparnaay from all over
the world.
The article about contrabass clarinet appeared in "The Clarinet"
in 1991, and is the result of my personal experience from around
1975. I still use the same fingerings.
Both articles can be found at
http://kunst.no/lerstad/altissimo.html
Comments of the fingerings of the first octave:
(I have tried those on my Leblanc contraalto and contrabass
clarinets (And I don't use a hard reed!))
C#3 BBb, Eb RT-23|12-
slightly flat, very nice in soft dynamics, easy to attack
>C#3 BBb, Eb R-1--|---
nice fingering
>D3 Eb R----|---
can't attack (use "feather" register key)
>D3 BBb --23|12-| can’t attack
no problem to attack
>Eb3 Eb R-G#---|---
nice fingering
>Eb3 Eb RTG#123|-2- lip down
hopelessly sharp, use my fingering (I never ever lip down)
>Eb3 BBb TG#123|123F can’t attack
no proble to attack
>E4 Eb R-A---|--- slur, lip down
hopelessly sharp, use my fingering (I never ever lip down)
>E4 Eb RTG#123|---
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>E4 BBb TG#123|---
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>F4 Eb,BBb RT123C#|123
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>F#4 Eb,BBb RT12-|123
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>G4 Eb,BBb RT1--|123
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>G#4 Eb RT1--|---
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>G#4 Eb RT--|---G#
fine, I consider this the "standard" fingering
>G#4 Eb,BBb RT-23|123F# lip down on BBb
hopelessly sharp (quarter-tone on BBb, half tone on Eb), use my
fingering (I never ever lip down)
>A4 Eb,BBb RT-23|123
a bit sharp on BBb
>Bb4 Eb,BBb RTG#---|---
quarter-tone high on Eb, half tone high on BBb
>B4 Eb RTG#123|---
fine
>B4 BBb RTG#123C#|---
on BBb this is a C, on Eb OK but a bit sharp (OK for ff)
>C4 Eb,BBb RT1--|12-
this is a C sharp!
Terje Lerstad
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