The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beejay
Date: 2002-10-15 12:40
I'm playing a set of Mozart dances and the duos for two wind instruments in public with a trumpet player in a few days. We have rehearsed a lot, and the pieces are shaping up fine for the most part. The main problem we are working on is balancing the sound. My partner, who is a very good musician, plays with a mute, but thinks a cornet would blend better with the clarinet. Does anyone have any experience of this kind of combination, and if so, does he or she have any advice about performance? Many thanks.
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Author: jenna
Date: 2002-10-15 16:43
I've never played with a cornet, but I've done different things with unmuted trumpets and never had a problem with the sound balance, really. You just have to keep your volume up, and as hard as it is for many trumpet players, they have to keep it down a peg.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-10-15 16:57
beejay -
A cornet will be less insistent than a trumpet, but if your friend has to borrow an instrument, why not go all the way to a flugelhorn, which has a much mellower sound.
I played some of the Mozart duets (originally for two horns, but arranged for every combination) with my nephew on trumpet, and they worked nicely.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Beejay
Date: 2002-10-15 18:13
Ken,
Were they written for horns or basset horns? I rearranged my set for basset horn and they seem to fit perfectly. Bests.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-10-15 19:33
Depending on how bright the trumpet is to begin with, he/she could experiment with degrees of color by trying cup and bucket mutes in both trumpet and cornet. If you're on basset, an open cornet or flugel should also prove a sweet combination. I would be careful though not to go "too dark" and risk a collective dull, lackluster or even lifeless sound. v/r KEN
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-10-15 19:40
...oh, your trumpeter could also drape their horn's felt polishing rag over the bell for an additional choice.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-10-15 20:21
I agree with your fellow trumpeter. Short shank cornet like Besson 928 will match better with clarinet.
If he uses trumpet, there is a good mouthpiece, which gives darker and mellower sound. An abnormaly deep V cup mouthpiece by Bob Reeves US. I ordered one recently and was surprised at the instant result. But this info may be too late.
http://www.bobreeves.com/products/mouthpieces/c2j/index.htm
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-10-15 22:02
Beejay -
The Mozart duets were originally for two horns -- the brass kind. These were the music that was actually written in a skittle alley (Kegelstatt).
Ken's post reminded me that there's a special trumpet mute that's like a hat except made of felt. There's a slit near the edge that goes over the edge of the bell. It gives a very soft, mellow sound. A polishing rag would be a good, inexpensive substitute.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Stéphane
Date: 2002-10-16 01:12
Beejay,
If I am not mistaken, you're based in France. Are you actually performing in the Paris area? Is there anyway one can attend your performance?
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-10-17 00:47
Cornet sounds like a great idea - it's tone is much more mellow and pleasing than a nasty old trumpet
In my humble opinion.
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