 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SGTClarinet_7
Date: 2005-11-12 21:43
What are some good method books/solos/etc. for bass? My unit has nothing, and neither do I. I would like to know what to get to help challenge my bass playing. Also, what are some good pieces for CB featuring solo bass clarinet? The only one I know of is the Variations On A Theme by Robert Schumann. Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated.
Matthew
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-11-13 08:26
Look for 'Spotlights on the Bass Clarinet" from Jan Hadermann, a Belgian (flemisch) Composer who happens to be one of the previous conductors/founders of one of the VCB's I play in. He's a quite succesful composer for windband and alike. (look at his website : http://users.skynet.be/jan.hadermann/)
The piece itself is a nice 3 part solo piece that can be played either with piano, concertband or even symphonic band.Not impossible to play, but not for a real beginner either.
Don't know if there are any mp3 samples around, but sheet music can definately be bought everywhere. Need Low C bass !
Methods books are around from William E. Rhoads (Advanced studies), published by Southern Music Company (don't know if still alive ?)
Nice to have is also : Symphonic repertoire for the Bass Clarinet by Michael Drapkin. I've seen it recently on the web, so still available.
Succes,
Peter
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Author: bass9396
Date: 2005-12-01 00:15
Play anything, anything at all. Flute music, Clarinet Music, Sax music, who cares. I've played Syrinx, Hindemith's Acht Stucke for Flute, Vaughn-williams Six Studies, Bach Cello Suites, Artie Shaw Concerto, Saint-Saens Sonata, Rosza Sonata, all kinds of weird stuff.
Also, stretch your altissimo playing. This will allow you to explore the world of insane contemporary music.
Unfortuantely there's not really a "method book" out there, though there are good books on playing Bass (Volta's Calamus comes to mind.) Bass Clarinet is the best instrument to experiment on because the altissimo is relatively simple, you can play with vibrato, and you don't have to contend with a flat-chinned Soprano embouchure.
Happy hunting!
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Author: DougR
Date: 2005-12-01 03:15
Henri Bok (I think it is) performs the Hindemith bassoon sonata on bass clarinet (with Hindemith's blessing, I might add). I've been working on transposing a version for bass clar. You might try that.
Now, I don't know jack about concert band literature, but along those same lines, if I were you I'd check into existing cb features for bassoon, if any, or possibly baritone horn/euphonium. You might see if there's music in existence for the solo features the great Arthur Pryor used to play on slide trb. with the Sousa band--they'd be perhaps a little corny by today's standards, but...maybe not?
I echo the Drapkin suggestion, and now there's supposedly a 2nd volume available too (which I know nothing about). Those are excerpt books, of course, but you could get actual symphonic parts (Kalmus has b.c. parts for Daphnis and La Valse, both of which are good for technique)--and by all means search the board for recent posts on symphonic bass clarinet parts, bass clarinet in A, transposed symphonic parts, to see others' recommendations.
As for methods, what's wrong with Jeanjean, Kroepsch, Rose? A couple of the Jeanjeans are interesting enough to be program material, I think. Also, the Bach cello suites are indispensable--just buy the dang cello part and play it!
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2005-12-01 04:15
There is indeed a second book of bass clarinet excerpts by Michael Drapkin.
My suggestion is to grab anything you'd play on Bb and do it on bass. Try the Polatschek studies!
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-12-01 17:58
Try the Martinu Sonatina normally for soprano, often played on bass, nice !!
For bass solo, the Bach Cello Suites, great music.
By the way Hindemith gave permisison to play the bassoon sonata to Josef Horak when he heared him playing it in a pause during a rehearsal, according to one of the famous stories around bass clarinet.
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2005-12-01 20:13
In my Army daze, the suffix 7 was used to designate commander (like RedDog7). So seeing SGT and 7 in an alias was kinda funny to me. Although one could say the Army survives based on the quality of it's Sergeants.
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: Iacuras
Date: 2005-12-01 22:23
A great Etude book for bass clarinet is "Advanced Studies from Julius Weissenborn Adapted for Alto and Bass Clarinets" by William E. Rhoads. Southern Music Company.
It is available on this page https://secure.donax-us.com/www.vcisinc.com/clarinetmusic.html
Steve
"If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon."
"If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly."
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-12-01 23:57
I haven't seen the Rhoads "adaptation" of the Weissenborn bassoon studies, but the Rhoads bass clarinet stuff I have seen has appalled me by the pandering to people who think the bass clarinet is a "one+ octave" instrument--quite unlike the real world of bass clarinet playing.
My suggestion: go right to the source--buy the Weissenborn bassoon studies and learn to get comfortable playing in bass clef (maybe tenor clef, too)! Same goes for Bach cello suites; I make my students learn them from the original cello music, adapting the double-stops etc as best they can.
I use Hite's Melodious and Progressive (clarinet) Studies, as well as his edition of the Rose 40 & 32 (Artistic Studies....) with good results with my students, from middle school through DMA!
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Author: aberkow
Date: 2005-12-02 12:35
For CB try Andrew Rindfleisch's "The Light Fantastic". It's long (20+ min.) but the first and third movements are a showcase for bass clarinet. The third even includes a cadenza. Don't let the disco reference fool you, it's a high quality peice of music. As far as solo literature, I agree with LarryBocaner about the Bach cello suites. Even if you've already played at least one, they're always good to go back to. Also, try the transcription of Eric Dolphy's solo on "God Bless the Child" (from the Copenhagen concert). It's out of print, but you can get a free pdf of it at Michael Lowenstern's website.
Adam B.
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