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Why transposing instruments?

Author: Matt74
Date: 2017-12-09 23:07

Does anyone know the history behind the practice of transposing notation?

It’s not at all necessary. Strings do not transpose (they use different cleffs because of range, but a “C” is a “C”). As far as I know, all instruments originally played in C, no matter what the “key” of their horn. Recorder still does not transpose, even though there are “C” and “F” recorders. You simply learn to finger them differently, which is a lot easier than trying to transpose on the fly - especially transpoing from notation written for other transposing horns (like when playing an A clarinet part on a Bb horn). Clarinet is particularly interesting because the instrument is actually in two different keys, one for each register. A modern clarinet in Bb could just as accurately be said to be in F.

I’m not sure what purpose transposing notation serves. The convenience of calling seven fingers down “C” pales in comparison to all the difficulty it causes. It even makes things harder for directors and composers. In fact, I think you could make the argument that transpoing notation, instead of making things easier, actually contributed to a decline in the variety of differently pitched horns. We are stuck with it, for better or worse, but why was it implemented to begin with? Who can we blame?

- Matthew Simington

Post Edited (2017-12-09 23:14)

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Why transposing instruments? new

Matt74

2017-12-09 23:07