 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2018-04-28 18:49
In a recent thread reporting a performance of the Mozart Concerto, a poster expressed slight disappointment that the soloist was using a standard A clarinet instead of a basset clarinet. I've enjoyed hearing basset clarinet performances online, and they reveal how naturally the musical lines can flow and how interesting the lower notes can sound. I've also enjoyed performances of the same pieces (the Concerto, the Quintet, the aria from Clemenza di Tito) played on standard soprano instruments. The music doesn't suffer much when standard instruments are in capable performers' hands. I have a couple questions that are probably technical.
In a number of the basset clarinet performances I've heard, the players, some very well known, didn't seem to sound as good as I've come to expect of them. Their overall sound seemed to lack something, and their fluency didn't seem as smooth. That wasn't universal: I have also heard a couple marvelous basset clarinet performances with nothing perceptibly lacking in sound or fluency. Where differences seemed noticeable, the deficits were kind of subtle, so I hope my imagination wasn't inventing them. Still, I wonder if a) the instruments they were playing weren't as "good" as their chosen standard clarinets, and b) the requisite pinky finger technique wasn't as fully accomplished.
Are there basset clarinets (or extensions for standard clarinets) that are equally great as top of the line instruments by Buffet, Yamaha, Backun, Wurlitzer or (fill in other names?) Maybe that's a dumb question and a yes should be assumed. Are basset instruments available in both Oehler and Boehm types?
Pinky technique for high-level playing must be demanding - I know it's an ongoing challenge for me at whatever level I'm at or have been at before. Having more keys and wider stretches must make it harder. True?
If basset clarinets can play down to C3, then does it follow that their clarion register must extend down to G4? If so, then are those notes in clarion employed as alternatives to standard throat tone fingerings (G,G#,A,A#4?)
If a professional owned a great basset clarinet and became completely proficient with it, would they use it in other contexts that normally specify an A clarinet, such as much orchestral playing? That would seem to a) offer alternative fingerings / sounds for some notes, and b) serve to maintain their proficiency and "feel" for the basset instrument.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2018-04-28 19:37
There's no standard as to how to configure the low notes. I've only every played on one, at S&S, where there were thumb keys. You'd have to get very used to it to develop fluency, and there are only a handful of pieces to do that with. You also pretty much need a neck strap for the one I played because of the weight, balance, and need for right thumb agility. If a player isn't willing or able to spend the time needed to treat it as a separate instrument that needs to be mastered on its own, then they're really better off playing the pieces on regular A. I'd much rather hear someone play the Mozart on an instrument they have complete familiarity with and can do anything they want on then one that doesn't respond the way they're used to and where they have to think about how to play some of the notes. Never heard of anyone using one of these to play pieces that don't have the low notes.
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Author: Klose ★2017
Date: 2018-04-28 20:22
As a basset clarinet owner, I guess I can answer your questions. Yes, both Oehler and Boehm systems have basset clarinets. This is obvious as you can easily find players like Sabine Meyer and Martin Fröst using them on Youtube. For french system, only Buffet makes a basset model which is commercially available but backun and Yamaha also custom made basset clarinets for their artists. Of course, the buffet model's bore is different from some other top models for standard clarinet like Tosca and Divine. But in terms of the material and quality, it is top-notch. So the soloist must spend time to get familiar with it. Oehler basset clarinet requires no extra pinky technique as all "basset notes" are played by right hand thumb. Of course, it is harder and foreign to all players, and you must spend some time to practice. On my basset, register plus basset fingering produce very poor sound thus they cannot be considered as alternatives. You can use it for some normal A clarinet orchestral piece but I never do because it is just too heavy and I don't have a case to have both my B-flat and basset A.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2018-04-28 20:26
Attachment: IMG_1668.JPG (861k)
The basset notes cannot be played in combination with the register key in order to produce extra clarion notes. On my instrument if you try to do this the notes are far too sharp to be useful. This is due to the placement of the register vent. Basset clarinets are also fairly heavy. Because of these reasons they are only used when the extra notes are required.
I personally own a "combo" basset clarient with one standard lower joint and one extended lower joint. I find both to play equally well.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-04-28 20:52
I'm surprised some basset clarinets don't even have a LH Ab/Eb lever - if you have to do a low D#/Eb-G#/Ab slur, then that's a must. Otherwise you'd have to jump your RH pinky from the low Eb key across to the Ab/Eb key.
Selmer basset clarinets had a LH Ab/Eb lever as well as a LH low Eb lever - the same key fitted to full Mazzeo systems.
I've seen a heavily modified Buffet basset clarinet which had other gadgets fitted (the work was done by Rene Hagmann) to effectively make it a full Boehm system basset clarinet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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