 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: RAMman
Date: 2005-02-12 17:29
Following my hunt for a basset clarinet, I now finally have one I can use. Many thanks to another user of this board, who wishes to remain nameless for fear of being bombarded with rental requests!
Now that I come to work on the Mozart Concerto on a basset, I see the places where some have suggested a low B is neccessary.
My question is this, and I don't think there is a 'right' answer:
One phrase (3rd movement...bar 145 onwards) appears in the Barenreiter edition (the older one) in the lowest octave in the basset part, and transposed up an octave in the clarinet part. This phrase is supposedly an exact echo of the previous phrase, but in order to achieve that the low B is needed (third note...bar 147, which is printed as a D in the basset part).
So, is it more 'correct' on my basset that doesn't have a low B, to:
1) Play the phrase at clarinet pitch to achieve the echo.
2) Play the phrase at basset pitch and ignore the fact it's an echo, playing a low D.
3) Play the phase at basset pitch using the low D, having altered the previous phrase to reinstate the echo.
Discuss, and I hope that makes sense!!
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2005-02-12 22:07
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RAMman, the idea of a low B natural in the concerto K.622 originates from one of the earliest copies made of Anton Stadler’s basset clarinet. The American musicologist Pamela Poulin discovered a program from a concert that Stadler gave in the Latvian capital Riga. On this program someone had made a drawing of his instrument. On this drawing you can see that the bell comes out in an angle at the bottom. The shape of the bell is bulbous, similar to the clarinetto d’amore of the time. The only “new” discovery about this instrument is the range down to low C similar to a basset horn.
When making one of the first, I think the very first copy of this instrument Eric Hoeprich discovered that to make the bell coming out in an angle, the bore in the knee-joint comes out being so long that the lowest note comes out as a B natural. To tune the lowest note into a C he had to drill a vent hole in the knee-joint and tune it. The low B remained of cause when he closed the hole. You can see a vent hole on the original drawing as well.
When analysing the concerto after this discovery my personal feeling was that the last irritating moments finally fell into place.
The two spots are: 1st movement bar 295, as a reminiscence of bar 107. Like this the two phrases will become somewhat equal. The 2nd spot is the one you mentioned: one octave lower from pick up to 146 to the end of the phrase in 157 with the low B natural in bar 147. Both spots can be debated with good arguments on both sides.
Since you don’t have the low B natural I would suggest playing this phrase as written in the clarinet part. It seems stupid to change the melody here not playing the B natural at all. Go down one octave from pick up to 150.
Good luck,
Alphie
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2005-02-13 20:57
with regard to the topic i usually play that bit in the last movt up octave so that the B is there, then in bar 149 (bar edition) last quaver i play in the basset register as written, which i think is what most players do, even Eric Hoepric in his first recording of the concerto the second he's on his Stadler reconstruction. RAMan has your basset got an open hole for the low C to aid intonation, mine has and if you close it you get a slightly sharp B.
Playing the concerto and quintet on basset makes more sense musically. Let me know if your going to perform it at RAM i'll try and get over to Baker St.
Good luck with it all
Peter Cigleris
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