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RE: Anyone played Ein Heldenleben?

Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2001-06-28 16:58

Here are a few alternatives to Dee's suggestions which you might find easier, though in some cases intonation and/or tone may suffer a little. They should work fine unless the part is exposed.

Gb to Bb

Jay Arnold has a suggestion to improve on Dee's solution here. Use your MIDDLE finger to close the top tone hole then tremolo with your index finger on the A key and thumb on the register key.

Ab to Db I can't improve on Dee's suggestion.

G to C

This is a tossup. An alternative to Dee's solution that works better for me but might not for everyone is to finger C using normal (register key) Bb in the left hand and the top two side trill keys in the right. The advantage to Dee's solution is that you don't have to coordinate two hands for the tremolo. The advantage to the alternative is you don't have to cross the "break" and you only need to tremolo three fingers instead of four (including the ring finger).

Bb to Db

In addition to the right hand fingers, also keep the middle and ring fingers of the left hand down and only tremolo with the thumb and first finger of the left hand. Roll the thumb and use the top knuckle of the left hand to get the A key. (This is probably what Dee meant by a rolling action.)

Ab to Cb

With a little practice, Dee's suggestion works, particularly if you lock down the Ab key with the second joint of your index finger. It is MUCH easier, however, to play Cb as left hand Ab right hand top trill key. In other words do the tremolo simply by adding the right hand top trill key to the Ab. The B may be a little stuffy but it should be OK for a fast tremolo.

I don't have a copy of this part and I've never played it. Does Strauss actually call for a C or D clarinet here by any chance?

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