 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ann reid
Date: 2010-09-16 15:29
I'm a long time player of bass and alto clarinets. In the past I've played each of these instruments with a high degree of success (top seating in all state bands,etc.)
and as a recent retiree from a non-music field, I had hoped to begin playing seriously again.
A local wind ensemble had a listing of two bass clarinets and no alto clarinet, and when I contacted them to ask for an audition, I was told that they no longer use alto clarinet "because composers of wind ensemble music don't write for the instrument any more".
Is this so? When I was playing actively I was often called upon to play basset horn parts on the alto clarinet (transposing as I went along of course), and I played many wonderful parts from standard wind ensemble repertoire- as part of a well developed multi level clarinet sound.
Is this statement about alto clarinet really so? What are your thoughts about this?
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2010-09-16 15:52
It is certainly true for high school and community bands. But I keep mine for clarinet choirs, mostly to lend it to someone else to play while I toot on my CBC or CAC. I know many pit musicians who have almost every woodwind in their quiver except the alto clarinet.
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2010-09-16 16:39
In the wind ensemble here at USF we see a part once or twice a year for it. Oftentimes, it is double in 3rd or 4th clarinet or there will be bass clarinet 1 and 2 and one of those doubles it.
Rarely do we use one because it rarely has a unique part.
I for one love the alto clarinet but most others don't and so it easily gets written off when something else doubles it.
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Author: ann reid
Date: 2010-09-16 16:41
Well...I think it's easier to play alto clarinet badly than most other members of the family, although I've heard some contra players whom I wouldn't wish to share a stage with, BUT- i certainly don't think it deserves to be banished.
In the hands of someone who wishes to take it seriously a well played alto clarinet occupies a niche that is unique, and even more obviously so as a member of a real clarinet choir.
It would be my first choice to play bass, but I can think of any number of parts that are both challenging and interesting to play, and would not sound authentic on any alternative instrument.
I'm thinking Lincolnshire Posy, the Overture to Candide, Suite of Old American Dances just for starters.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-09-16 17:00
Except for perhaps a clarinet choir I've never really seen a reason for the alto clarinet. It's usually out of tune, not so much the players fault as in the manufactures, but the range and colors are easily covered by the Bb/A and bass clarinets. Many players believe that the basset horn would be a better replacement because of the tone color, Mozart uses it very nicely in several of his works, but somehow the Alto has never achieved the same praise. Unfortunately it's even difficult to find a well in tune basset horn and even that is rarely, if ever, used or written for today. I think it's also a matter of taking it seriously. If Mozart, Beethoven or Brahms wrote for the alto we would probably see it played more but for most composers it went from the soprano clarinet to the bass clarinet and pretty much stopped there except of course for the Eb when called for. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-09-16 20:50
I play strictly for personal pleasure, and enjoy the "Alto" sound more than that of the sopranino, soprano, or bass. Sheet music no problem since I'm just wingin'it with folk songs and pop music anyway.
I'd think any small ensemble would be overjoyed to have a good alto player on hand, but what do I know!
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2010-09-16 22:28
What a shame if the Eb Alto Clarinet was to become obsolete, not only does it have a lovely dark sound , it's also the sexiest looking clarinet. I have an Amati and have no trouble getting a full bodied sound out it and it plays in tune when I'm breathing into it. For loudness it can't compete with the Eb Alto Saxophone but there's that wonderful Clarinet compass (range).
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-09-16 22:31
...but many sax players have problems in sounding soft, and with playing "classical" style. Maybe replace an alto sax with an alto clarinet...just for the colour and the balance of the ensemble? Heresy, I know...
--
Ben
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-09-17 03:28
I used to hate alto clarinets because I never heard anybody play one well, so they all sounded like refried doggy caca to me. Since I've gotten one of my own, I enjoy playing it but frankly I doubt that anyone especially wants to hear me play it. I wouldn't be too bothered if alto clarinets disappeared altogether. They are fun to play at home when nobody else is listening, though........
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-17 13:15
Alto clarinets can't be substituted with alto or tenor saxes due to the average band sax players not being able to control the volume of their lowest notes - an alto clarinet will easily manage pp on its lowest notes whereas alto or tenor players will either subtone them or honk.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: justme
Date: 2010-09-17 13:41
Hmmmmm, Alto Clarinet doesn't have a good sound,etc?
Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_IA8K7xK8g
Justme
"A critic is like a eunuch: he knows exactly how it ought to be done."
CLARINET, n.
An instrument of torture operated by a person with cotton in his ears. There are two instruments that are worse than a clarinet -- two clarinets
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Author: ann reid
Date: 2010-09-17 17:27
I am proud to say that I play quite a lot like this man, except that my tone is somewhat darker than his and I don't puff out my cheeks.
Has anyone played new wind ensemble music recently that DOES have a well written alto clarinet part?
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Author: clarionman
Date: 2010-09-17 17:50
I play alto clarinet in a wind ensemble here in San Diego and we rarely don't have an alto part for any of the music. I have notice that the few times we dont have an alto part is for the easy music, all the advance music we play always has a part. Both of our in house composers/ arrangers love having the alto because of the colour and balance that adds to the ensemble.
I believe newer composers and arrangers don't write a part for alto because they are just not familiar with the horn. That was the case with the in house arrangers in the wind ensemble. But now they know what the instrument sounds like and what it can do, they always write a part for me.
It's a shame that the alto is slowly being left behind in the dust but I'll play it as long as I can.
Sorry for any typos I'm writing from my iPhone.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2010-09-18 00:07
I play alto clarinet (senior year) when I was in undergrad (wind ensemble). Here's some of what we did that I had actual parts for:
Overture to Candide (Bernstein)
Dance Movements (Sparke)
Festive Overture (Shostakovich)
~ The Winds of Poseidon (Smith?) - no alto clarinet part, but there was an Eb contrabass part I played
Some other stuff we did (a lot of Holsinger) I played alto sax (II) parts or Bb clarinet. Not too bad overall. My 5th year I moved over to bass clarinet (bass player graduated). I made the switch to alto/bass because we had almost 20 Bb clarinet players. Dr. Walker described our clarinet section as "1/3 of the group producing 1/6 of the sound".
Rachel
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2010-09-18 00:11
Actualy I've played in the wind symphony and had some really great parts, including solos on the alto clarinet and it CAN sound quite lovely. The new Buffet Prestige really answers many of the old wheezy sound and intonation problems. in fact, it's more in tune with itself than my R13! Many people are surprised to hear it played WELL though. It does have a different feel than the other clarinets, and it always feels as though your coaxing the sound out of it. Bass you can blast, but alto not so much.
The Dahl Sinfonietta has an especially beautiful alto solo in the second movement that I played a couple years ago. Check it out.
Eefer guy
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