The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2000-12-29 17:26
I ordered a couple new bass clarinet pieces yesterday, they should be here in about a week. The first is Rachmaninoff's Vocalise - theres 2 versions, high and low, the high one goes into the altissimo register and I want to try that piece just because I can
The second is Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites of J.S. Bach transcribed for bass clarinet. It says it's for an extened range bass, which I dont have, so I think I'm going to have to take some of the phrases up an octave.
What does everybody think of these pieces? I've never heard either of them, I just went happy-go-lucky when I found a site that sold a bunch of (hard) bass clarinet solos. (http://www.new-music.org/alea.html)
opinions please?
thx,
-ashley-
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-12-29 19:53
The Bach cellos suites are really nice to listen to. I have the Yo-Yo Ma recording and enjoy listening to it. He also collaborated with a series of performers from six different arts (dance, ice dance, etc.) to make videos of the suites, one art and artist per suite.
As far as playing them on the bass clarinet, some of them are a challenge, especially those with lots of grace notes. The lowest they go to is D (C concert), the lowest note on the cello. Some of the pieces jump around through the various registers quite a bit, but if you can play in the altissimo, I suppose you could transpose up an octave as you suggest. If you tranpose just a phrase, it may have a deliterious effect on the piece. I almost think it might be easier, or at least artistically more desireable, to transpose the entire piece up a half step or step instead. I would love to be able to play them all myself - I do have the extended range instrument, I just need to practice, practice, practice.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2000-12-30 03:52
Ashely, please let us know what you think after you've gotten to know these pieces. I'm in the process of buying a bass (the snail mail has earned its nickname in this case, as I'm sill eagerly waiting) and am going to need something other than the Rose Studies.
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-01-01 21:49
I love both of those pieces. The Bach Cello Suites are great for auditions and competitions. Lucky you for finding a transcribed version. I've really had to practice my sight-transposing lately, and it can be a real pain in the neck.
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