Author: Geronimo
Date: 2017-12-10 03:23
Matt,
A simple question should have a simple answer, but that's not the case. Transposition makes one musician able to play a variety of instruments with out haveing to relearn them.
For example, in university I have had to play clarinets in Bb, A, Eb, Bb bass, and F (basset horn). I would go crazy switching between Bb and A if I had to keep two different fingerings in mind just to read C parts. This is not even considering saxophones or trumpets.
Another point is that each instrument sounds difficult depending on key. A Bb clarinet and an Eb clarinet are certainly not interchangeable. They sound too different. Ask orchestral trumpet players if they prefer the sound of a c trumpet to a Bb and you are in for a long conversation. Composers also like to have variety of instruments for the color they have in mind. An A Clarinet will have a darker sound than the sprightly tone of a C clarinet.
Another misconception is that if we teach clarinet beginners the "sounding pitch" vs transposed pitch, it will make playing the clarinet easier. However this is certainly not the case. No beginning band book or pieces will have parts for C clarinet. The student (or more likely the band director) will have to transpose the part, completely negating the advantage of learning the clarinet as a non transposing instrument. They would have to do this every time they would want to play any rep (minus the parts written in C), wind band, orchestra, college auditions etc. It's better to keep the clarinet as a transposing instrument.
However, your question is not without merit. While the clarinet, trumpet, and saxophones revolve around transposition, some instruments do not (for whatever reason). Tuba players relearn fingerings for every different tuba they have, french horn players transpose orchestral parts by sight better than anyone, and if we are being completely honest, the trombone is a Bb instrument (it's fundamental pitch is Bb) but learn all notes/positions from sounding pitch.
So I suppose the honest answer is "it's tradition"
-GM
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The Clarinet BBoard
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