 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-09-04 14:17
As quoted by Ed in the senior recital thread:
> For Chet, there is one piece, Sibelius sym. #6 has a nice bass clarinet solo
> in the last mov't on the first clarinet part. When we do it though, I play the
> bass clarinet solo, not the principal, he doesn't play bass. However, there
> are a great many pieces that the second or third clarinet switches back and
> forth constantly. Because we do that so often we learn to focus very well
> on either instrument. There's a good deal of chamber music being written
> now that the player has to switch between instruments as well. ESP
Is there much music out there that has utility parts printed within the first part? I think of Symphonie Fantastique that has the Eb part in the first part in the 5th movement; that's theonly piece I know of that does that. I've always figured that first parts would only have first parts, and that utility would be left to 2nd/3rd parts or separate parts (like English Horn parts being within Oboe II parts or standing alone). When utility parts appear within the first part, I wonder how often the first player plays it versus swapping with another player.
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Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-09-04 14:27
That is kinda rare in the symphonic repertoire. In contemporary scores it's quite common for the first and second players to play utility instruments, Eb and bass respectively.
The chamber operas by Britten require single winds and the flute and clarinet have to double alto flute and bass clarinet respectively. When the ENO do these the principal clarinet doubles.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-04 15:08
As I mentioned in the same thread that you quote above, the Dvorak 5th Symphony has a brief bass clarinet solo in the last movement.
Also, the last movement of Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite calls for Eb clarinet (entire movement) in the first clarinet part. The second clarinet part calls for alto sax for the fourth movement.
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2011-09-04 18:12)
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Author: William
Date: 2011-09-04 15:43
I enjoy the challenge of playing all the notes written for my part--principal, second, bass or any reed book. Being versitile has it's rewards.......and, it's a lot of fun.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2011-09-05 00:42
One version (of probably several) of the J. Strauss waltz "Tales from the Vienna woods" has the 1st player switching to Eb about a quarter of the way in, and staying there for the bulk of the piece.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-09-05 01:26
Jack, I'm sure it's Sibelius 6th and not the 5th that has the bass clarinet part. I've played both of those and I'm positive. Once in a while a contemporary piece comes along with an Eb part in the first part but it's not to common. I believe Bernstein's Fancy Free has an Eb part in the first clarinet part. But it's possible it's in the 2nd part. Every time we've done it our assistant 1st plays first and Eb which is why I think it's in the 1st part. ESP
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-09-05 01:58
Very few principal clarinetists can play bass clarinet worth a darn. I would shoot the principal if he attempted to play MY bass clarinet part. You players of the dinky clarinets have been warned! ![[mad]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie9.gif)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-05 02:49
Ed,
No disagreement. My intention was to give an additional example, not to correct yours. If you look at my post, you'll see that I identified Dvorak's 5th -- not Sibelius'.
Cheers,
jnk
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-05 12:49
"Very few principal clarinetists can play bass clarinet worth a darn. "
Perhaps but there are exceptions. A couple of summers ago, at an Opera Theater of St. Louis production, I realized that some of the most beautiful bass clarinet playing I had ever heard was coming from the pit. I quickly went to my program to see who this marvelous bass clarinetist was -- to my surprise it was Scott Andrews, principal of the St. Louis Symphony.
Also, listen to Franklin Cohen on his recording of Golijov's "Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind." He had never played bass clarinet before.
Anyway, in the case of the Dvorak, do you really want to sit through 3+ movements, trying to look intelligent with nothing to do, just to play about 19 notes?
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Daniel Frazelle
Date: 2011-09-06 04:54
I played the Dvorak part a few years ago. I would have had no problem giving it to someone else, but it made more sense because I do play bass and they would have had to stick around forever just for those measures. It's a fairly fast switch when you consider that the bass has been sitting for 3+ movements and it's a big moment in the piece. Pretty stressful on the whole, actually.
Personally, I'd say that a principal willing to play bass probably has their house in order.
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