 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: senior
Date: 2008-09-06 21:16
Bear with me on this. The only reason I have for asking these questions, is to satisfy my own curiosity and cure my ignorance on the subject.
1. What is the reason for owning 2 clarinets so closely tuned together? A and Bb.
2. Does the A tuned clarinet have a darker tone or are they to closely tuned to tell the difference?
3. Is one harder to play than the other?
Thanks for your patience.
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Author: Bubalooy
Date: 2008-09-06 22:03
There is quite a lot of information about this in various threads but anyway answering your last question first. I would say that the degree of difficulty is the same. I find now difference between my B-flat and A clarinets in terms of difficulty.
Question 2. Yes, I would say the A clarinet has a somewhat darker sound but not appreciably, in that, when I play the A clarinet the increased darkness, which I perceive, may be a very similar tone quality to someone else playing the B-flat if that persons tone quality is naturally a bit darker than mine. So it's a yes and no answer here.
The primary reason for having the two instruments, I believe, is because by using the A or B-flat instrument, you can avoid playing in some fairly difficult keys with awkward fingerings. Instead of playing in G-flat, I can play in G for example, depending on which instrument I play. Also, if the music calls for a note a half step below the range of your B-flat, it is attainable on the A. (There may be ways to accomplish it on the B-flat instrument too, but switching to the A is an easy way to do it.)
I hope that answers your questions.
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-09-06 22:05
1. Because the orchestral literature uses both instruments, preferring the Bb in flat keys and the A in sharp keys.
2. Depends who you ask. If you ask the same player to perform on both instruments of a pair, you might hear a difference. If you ask one player to play his Bb and another to play his A, very doubtful that you could tell which was which. I expect loads of people will contradict me on this. (I stress that I am talking only of overall tone colour. If I play the same piece on both, at the same written pitch, then of course the A will sound a semitone lower. If I play the same piece on both, at the same concert pitch, then the tone quality of certain notes may give the game away: concert Ab played as throat Bb on the Bb is liable to sound rather different from concert Ab played as long Bnat on the A.)
3. Not significantly. If you do all your practice on the Bb, the A will seem harder. Judging by the number of pairs that get sold where the A is in much better condition than the Bb, many people do practice only on the Bb.
Post Edited (2008-09-06 22:06)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2008-09-07 00:07
A slightly wider RH pinky stretch seems necessary to reach the E/B key on the A instrument, at least on my A. Some passages in sharp keys like B or F# major are affected. Why not alternate practice on the two instruments - Bb one day and A the next? At least technical practice.
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-09-07 04:43
Why not just practice on both as the music dictates.
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-09-07 17:27
In solo passages, I can usually tell which clarinet it is being played on, even in the nosebleed section, especially if it makes use of most of the instrument's range.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-09-07 19:43
The short answer is that there is so much music written for both instruments that a soloist or orchestra player needs to have both. Ex. The Mozart Concerto and Quintet, Brahms Quintet and Trio, Nielson Concerto are written for A clarinet, All the Weber pieces and Brahms Sonata to name a few are written for Bb clarinet. Orchestra music is pretty equal and includes much music from the earlier periods for C clarinet, usually transposed on the Bb. Sometimes the composer wants the darker sound, sometimes because of the key signature and sometimes because they want the low E on the A clarinet, which would have to be a Eb on the Bb clarinet. In the hands of a fine orchestra player it is often very difficult to notice what clarinet they are playing unless you heard it played on both one after another. Many players transpose some passages because it makes the passage easier to play in tune, smoother or it blends better than the one it is actually written for. A good example is the slow movement from the Brahms first symphony, the solo is written for the A clarinet but is often played on the Bb to avoid playing the solo on a “cold” clarinet, the same with the opening to his third symphony to avoid having to make a very quick change. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 Listen to a little Mozart, on A clarinet!
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