 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: knorthover
Date: 2007-04-02 20:51
Hi, long time reader, first time poster. I am doing a research project on the history and development of the Bass Clarinet and I was wondering if anyone knew any great books/resources to use. I have already done some preliminary research and there doesn't seem to be that many sources, (unless I am looking in the wrong place). I look forward to hear any suggestions or comments. Thanks.
keith
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BassetHorn
Date: 2007-04-02 21:27
There really isn't that many books/resources. Here is one that might be of interest to you. Jean Marc Volta - The bass clarinet method
http://www.vcisinc.com/c0633toc.jpg
This book has a chapter on bass clarinet
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Companion-Clarinet-Companions-Music/dp/0521476682
Jack Brymer wrote a book on clarinet that might contains some info on bass.
And that Belgium/Dutch clarinetist who is famous for playing Mozart clarinet concerto/quintet on his period instrument, what is his name... He was supposed to write a clarinet book for Oxford Press, don't know if it's published yet.
Besides the academic stuff, the best way to get first rate info on bass clarinet playing and contemporary practice is to contact/interview some of the famous orchestral and solo players: Laurie Bloom, Henri Bok, Louis Sclavis, Harry Sparnaay, Michael Lowenstern, Michael Davenport, Evan Ziporyn, Jean-Marc Volta, Wolfgang Fuchs, Lucien Dubuis, Cornelius Boots, Lori Freedman, Giora Feidman, Todd Palmer, etc. I am sure there are many others. Or contact an instrument maker such as Stephen Fox and see what he can tell you.
Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-04-02 21:41
The best "historic" book on the bass clarinet continues to be the one by Geoffrey Randall, titled something likeThe Clarinet. It's a bit light on illustrations, but it has much more "historic detail" than most books on the subject.
The Cambridge companion is a bit light in this area, and most of the other published books will only have a few words on history (in very few words on the instrument in the first place).
If you can find a copy (and good luck to you there), the English translation of Oskar Kroll's monumental The Clarinet has almost as much as the Randall book. I searched for a copy of this one for many years, and only found it through a rare book dealer. (It is readily available in German, however.)
Two bass clarinet fun facts from the above books:
• The band of Napoleon Ier's Imperial Guard had one of the first bass clarinets in common use, this being in 1810. No mention was found as to its survival after the Russian Campaign.
• The German military introduced the bass clarinet to Luftwaffe bands in 1939. (Now, that's trivia with a vengeance.
Make sure that you cover the bass clarinet in C and A, and that you point out that Tchakowski (sp!!!) insisted that the bass clarinet play one of the bassoon figures that was very prominent in one of his symphonies.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-02 22:37
"and that you point out that Tchakowski (sp!!!) insisted that the bass clarinet play one of the bassoon figures that was very prominent in one of his symphonies."
That's right - in the 1st. mvmt of the 6th symphony - it's at the end of the descending theme played by the clarinet that the bassoon is scored to take over the last four notes of as they descend below the clarinet's range, though it's better put on bass clarinet so the tone quality matches better for such a solemn theme.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-04-03 00:55
FWIW - I put a post on the Yahoo BassClarinet re: books, and made ref. to Sachs [Hist of Mus. Insts.] saying the First B C was made by Lot in 1772. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rsholmes
Date: 2007-04-03 01:33
* van der Meer, John Henry (1987). "The Typology and History of the Bass Clarinet". J. Amer. Mus. Inst. Soc. 13: 65-88.
* Rendall, F. Geoffrey. The Clarinet, Second Revised Edition, London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1957.
* Young, Phillip T. (1981). "A Bass Clarinet by the Mayrhofers of Passau". J. Amer. Mus. Inst. Soc. 7: 36-46.
* Sachs, Curt. A History of Musical Instruments, New York: W.W. Norton, 1940.
* Eliason, Robert E. (1983). "George Catlin, Hartford Musical Instrument Maker (Part 2)". Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society 9: 21-52.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
