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Question about an Alto Clarinet

Author: Marnix van den Berg
Date: 2004-12-29 16:28

Hi,

Me and my fellow students recently starting playing some arrangements of String Quintets my teacher provided. Next to the usual bass and soprano clarinets needed, we also needed a basset horn. Since my teacher's basset horn is out on a loan I borrowed an Alto from a friend to play the part (transposed of course). This friend is not really a clarinet player, but more a collector type, so he hadn't played it for a while (or tried).

It's a 20-25 years old LeBlanc, which is in good condition. My question is this, how is it supposed to sound? Does anyone have a recording of note?

The chalumeau is good, I can make it sound nearly the same as my B-flat clarinet, but from the bell B natural upwards (to the C a none above) the sound is, well, dense and stuffy, without volume. The altissimo is fine, but the middle register is difficult to control and just doesn't have the same richness of tone the others have. Especially the throat notes in the middle register (B, especially the C and the D) are difficult to control and have a tendency to squeak.

From reading the archives way back to '99 or so, I gather the Alto is a 'difficult' instrument at best, but there's no clear indication if it's possible to even out the registers and get a uniform tone.

I haven't been able to turn up any free sample recordings on the web, so I really have no inkling how it's supposed to sound.

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Re: Question about an Alto Clarinet

Author: larryb
Date: 2004-12-29 16:41

I play a somewhat older Leblanc basset horn, which is basically the same instrument as your alto (same bore), except for the lower range. It's possible that the lower range may affect overall tone quality and playability throughout, but I think comparison between the two is fair.

My basset horn was stuffy in that mid range until I had six pads replaced in the upper joint. So, you might want to have the alto checked for seal, pad condition, and regulation, especially since it seems that the instrument hadn't been played much by its owner.

Also, you may want to experiment with different mouthpiece-reed combinations. I use a Vandoren 5RV with 2.5 Vandoren alto clarinet reeds. I think, in general, you should play the alto with a softer reed and looser embouchure than you would normally use with the soprano clarinets.

Finally, I'd recommend using a metal ligature, if you're not already using one. That should help brighten the mid-range.

As for recordings - try the Fennell/Eastman School recording of the Mozart Gran Partita (orgininally recorded on Mercury). They're playing Leblanc basset horns from the late 1950s. Also try the Australian Symphony (I think) recording of Beethoven's Prometheus ballet music (Naxos CD). There's a duet for basset horn and oboe, and I think the basset horn is a Leblanc (not sure where I got that from) - in any event, it's a good alto/basset horn sound.

Hope this helps.

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Re: Question about an Alto Clarinet

Author: Marnix van den Berg
Date: 2004-12-29 17:11

Thanks,

I had it briefly looked over by a technician for a quick appraisal and it didn't leak (at least obviously) and so I took it back home for a bit of practicing. I didn't want to shell out big for a large overhaul without reason of course

I'm using a VanDoren 5RV + a flexible ligature currently with VanDoren #3 alto clarinet reeds, practically the same as on my b-flat. I'll try out some softer reeds.

Thanks for the recording tips, I'll check them out (if I can find them).

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