 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ted Donaldson
Date: 2002-07-21 01:58
I doubt many of you remember me so let me give my short bio...
My name is Ted Donaldson and I live in modern suburbia. I was on my way to an eating establishment one day when I blurted out to my mom, "Mommie! I want to play the clarinet!" That was in third grade :P. Well we got a good old bundy for me to start out on (That is sarcasm of course... about the good...) And I played that until early sixth grade. Then My band director begged my parents to buy me a wood model. So the next day we went out to our pro music shop, and I talked my dad into the Buffet E-11 (Tried the R-13 but he wasn't in that good of a mood) So off I went happy for a few weeks. Then the best thing in my life happened to me.
We were in class one day, and my band director asked if anyone wanted to play the bass clarinet. Well, he didn't pick me, because I was a sixth grader in the eighth grade band. He thought it would hurt me to play something so big and heavy. Well, the first two he chose dropped the instrument because they couldn't work any magic with it. So, out of desperation, he asked me to play it.
It wasn't beatiful, good sounding or anything of the sort. It was a ten year old vito, that hadn't been to the shop in a good five years. Well after some fine tuning it we got it working ok. I played that instrument for about six months. Then another great thing happened. My parents decided to get me my own wood bass!
So one day in Panama City Beach while on vacation, we went Bass Clarinet hunting... After asking many stores to show us their basses, and seeing many bundy's and vito's, we were about ready to give up. So out of humor, I said, "Hey let's go to the guitar shop and see if they have anything."
So we did.
As I walked in my jaw dropped. I saw the most beautiful bass of my life. A vintage King Mariguax In mint condition with a serial number of 2XX, yes a three number serial code! Well, I fell in love with the Frenchy goodness and we bought it.
After a summer of practicing school started, and I was first chair all year... big surprise when there is only one bass. Then I made the second best purchase of my life... The Walter Grabner CXBS bass mouthpiece. I would take it over anything, anyday.
After getting it two weeks before all county try outs, I tried out. And to my surprise, I made first chair all county. That was probably the most challenging music I have played until two weeks ago.
I attended the Junior High Concert Band Camp at FSU, and made the top band. The music wasn't all technical, although some was kind of tricky at first, but it needed emotion to be played right.
Basically, I have finally gotten past the barrier of playing music like it is written, and started playing it from my heart.
So here I am going into eight grade and starting to practice for the Florida All State band... And just made another huge advance. I can now play the chromatic scale 3 octaves crystal clear on the bass. So I am on cloud nine at the moment.
I have just one question... Can someone reccomend a grade five through eight bass clarinet solo... My band director always picks easy ones...
This is your life Ted Donaldson! :P
Sorry for the Long post... Oh well...
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Author: Neil
Date: 2002-07-21 06:51
Aloha
Welcome back to the board. I am working on getting myself moved back to Panama City Beach so I'm happy to hear about your experience there. Can you tell me store it was? Sorry, I don't play bass and can't recommend any solos. Do your best and I wish you the best of luck.
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Author: Ted Donaldson
Date: 2002-07-21 11:57
Hrmm... I wouldn't reccomend the store, they only had a few things in stock... But... as I don't remember at the moment, I will post it later.
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Author: Katfish
Date: 2002-07-21 13:21
The Galliard Sonatas, six of them, are transcibed for bass clarinet. They were originally for cello or bassoon I am not sure which. Ballade by Bozza and Andante and Allegro by Yvonne Des Portes are also good but difficult choices.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-07-21 14:01
Welcome back, Ted, I do recall several pleasureable exchanges of posts re: bass clarinets, a year or so ago. It sounds-like to me you have found a "good one" and are busy getting acquainted with it and are asking about its music. I suggest that via the "bass-clarinet group" at the Yahoo Groups, contemporary as well as older music is frequently discussed by some of our pro players. I enjoy reading their comments, but dont do any solo work, just try to play my community band parts well. Luck, Don
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2002-07-21 14:25
I can't believe you are in grade school. You are one bright young man. Best of luck with the bass. I love mine, but have to have it worked on. I can't get into the middle register.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-07-21 16:19
Hello and welcome back. I second you nomintion of the Grabner "enhanced" Selmer mouthpiece for "Second Best Purchase Award" of your young--but already ambitious--career. I have one as well that has made bass clarineting in the higher register almost fun. As for solo material, now that I am into bass clarineting myself, I am finding that playing some of my old "Bb clarinet" material to be an interesting technical workout--and with a surprising amount of success. It is amazing how much of the Mozart Concerto in A that I can actually play on my new bass. Which makes me wonder if it would be possible for someone to actually edit a version specifically for the low C bass clarinet, and maybe even record it.
In any case, good luck with your bass clarineting, but dont forget to practice your "little" clarinet once in a while. Then, for "later in life" challenges, keep in mind the saxophone family, the double reeds, and the flute and piccolo. That should keep you occupied through.............(maybe) high school.
And don't ignor those math skills--we musicians must be able to count--in a steady tempo--up to at least four. With advanced study, perhaps five, or six. Lawrence Welk made a "gazillion" dollars only counting up to two (A-One, an A-Two), but then he got a lot of help from his wonderful woodwind section--many, former students of Santy Runyon--who did learn to count further.
Seriously, drive your current band director "nuts" with your wonderful, youthful enthusiasm and ambition, but also remember to be nice to your other teachers--as many of us "oldsters" know, there is more to life than just "clarineting." Welcome back and good luck!!!!
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-07-21 23:34
Hey Ted - welcome back. I remember you from ages ago. Good to see you here again.
diz - sydney
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Author: Mindy's Mom
Date: 2002-07-25 19:11
Ted -- be careful with your choice for solo/ensemble --- IT will be SOOOOO much better if you play an "easier" piece with a LOT of heart than to play a "harder" piece and not much emotion or MUSICALITY. There is a WONDERFUL story that Mindy has from solo/ensemble from her 8th grade year -- really set the tone for years of GREAT solo/ensembling (is that a word ?? lol). She was one of the last players of the weekend at s/e and you could see the "disgust" when the judge saw what she was playing. He had heard lots of "bad" renditions of pieces from people who should have played other songs. Well -- she sat there and had his pencil poised and ready to write nad mark up the music (he is a VERY tough judge) and she started playing (Bozza's Aria)-- well -- his pencil sat there in mid-air and then he just laid it down, leaned back in his set and ENJOYED the MUSIC that was floating around the room. When she finished you could hear a pin drop in the room and then HE stood up adn clapped for her -- he told her that was the BEST thing that he had heard all weekend -- he said it was worth every minute to wait and hear her play! He had NOTHING bad to say about her playing. Now -- the thing I am trying to say, is that she COULD have played something harder and WANTED to play something harder but she didn't. She wanted to wow the judge with her playing not her "technique" because to play musically is sometimes much harder than playing "technically" (ie:fast runs, etc, etc). Now, you can still play something that is very technically challenging and still play musically and that is what I would choose. Just be very careful about what you choose to play for s/e --- GOOD LUCK-- you do well 
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