 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: TamarClarinet
Date: 2025-01-30 20:34
Hello folks, I have a question about the bass clarinet part for Pines of Rome (as seen on IMSLP).
The part differentiates between "in Bb" and "in A" but there is nothing to differentiate between playing Bass or normal Bb and A clarinets.
However the first movement, and some of the others, seems wildly inappropriate for a bass clarinet, given the height, speed and lack of any bass notes.
Is the part really intended to be played on bass clarinet (in Bb and A) throughout, or do the IMSLP parts have missing directions to switch between Bb, A and Bass clarinets?
Thanks!
Sam
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Author: Mike M
Date: 2025-01-30 21:26
I just played the Pines of Rome with the Cape Symphony this past weekend! The 1st movement was extremely high; starting at the top of pg. 2 (up to third leger line E) with the rest of that page incredibly hard to articulate with the accelerando. (I wish that I could double-tongue like the French Horns behind me.)
Allegro Chamber Players
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Author: pewd
Date: 2025-01-30 22:29
Its for Bass Clarinet in Bb and Bass Clarinet in A.
You have to transpose the A part, unless you have a rare and very old bass in A.
There were bass clarinets in A over 100 years ago (150?).
What's inappropriate? Its well within the instrument's range. If you are used to concert band bass parts, then yeah, you don't see that often. In symphonic music however...
Be glad this particular part is all written in Treble clef. Some symphonic bass parts are in bass clef.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Mike M
Date: 2025-01-30 22:39
I remember playing the Bass Clarinet part in a symphony that was written for A bass clarinet in bass-clef.
Allegro Chamber Players
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Author: symphony1010
Date: 2025-01-30 23:30
It's the life of a bass clarinet player! There are many parts written for bass clarinet in A - Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2, Symphonic Dances come to mind. Ravel La Valse and much else.
Treble or bass clef and the 'crossover' pieces which must be played an octave higher in the treble clef.
To get the full picture try the Drapkin books https://www.drapkin.net/books/
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-01-31 06:11
To erase any doubt about the entire part's being for a bass clarinet, the line in the Ricordi score (same 1925 edition as the part) is marked Cl. B. throughout. As an orchestrator Respighi was very much a colorist.
Karl
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Author: pewd
Date: 2025-01-31 21:44
Attachment: bcl.jpg (245k)
Here is an example of a bass clarinet part in A, in bass clef.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2025-01-31 23:09
Pines of Rome is a challenging bass clarinet part with lots in the altissimo register. A great reminder that bass clarinets are part of the clarinet family! Frankly, I get bored by playing tuba parts or matching the trombones all the time. So, I like it when composers challenge us!
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Author: davyd
Date: 2025-02-01 00:01
How "wrong" would it be to play the 1st movement on Bb clarinet, reading down an octave? The first note, rather than D#5 on the bass, would be D#4 on the Bb.
I've gotten away with that "trick" several times over the years, though not in this particular piece.
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Author: Mike M
Date: 2025-02-01 01:50
"How "wrong" would it be to play the 1st movement on Bb clarinet, reading down an octave? The first note, rather than D#5 on the bass, would be D#4 on the Bb."
It's definitely a "timbre" that the composer was after....although the bottom two thirds of pg.2 of the opening mvt is in unison with the FH's....they were "blasting-away" directly behind me thus I doubt that was even heard!
Allegro Chamber Players
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Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2025-02-03 07:24
If you feel like this is beyond comfort, go take a look at Richard Strauss’s Salome.
I just looked over the part, I’m playing this at the end of my season. For the first movement, those E’s can be played as overblown throat A. The c sharps in the clarion with TR and two lower side keys. Or you can just overflow first finger f sharps.
I never use standard altissimo fingerings that require the half hole. They have never sounded good to me.
You could always rewrite your own part to have those few parts in A in Bb. I think he just did that because clarinet 1 and 2 go into a for that movement too.
Enjoy. It’s really a fantastic part!
James Garcia
Bass Clarinet/Clarinet III, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra
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Author: symphony1010
Date: 2025-02-03 12:53
JamesOrlandoGarcia wrote:
> If you feel like this is beyond comfort, go take a look at
> Richard Strauss’s Salome.
>
> I just looked over the part, I’m playing this at the end of
> my season. For the first movement, those E’s can be played as
> overblown throat A. The c sharps in the clarion with TR and two
> lower side keys. Or you can just overflow first finger f
> sharps.
>
> I never use standard altissimo fingerings that require the half
> hole. They have never sounded good to me.
>
> You could always rewrite your own part to have those few parts
> in A in Bb. I think he just did that because clarinet 1 and 2
> go into a for that movement too.
>
> Enjoy. It’s really a fantastic part!
>
Excellent advice and good luck with Salome!
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