 The Doublers BBoard
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-05-24 01:34
I've only played in one musical so far, but for you very experienced musical players, which show has the most challenging lead clarinet parts? The show I was in was hello, dolly!, and dancing, the waiters gallop, and so long dearie were very challenging. (we used a transposed version and so long dearie went to a top "G") and "dancing" had acrobatics in uncomfortable ranges. I've also heard that reed 3 of beauty and the beast is extremely tough for clarinet. So, what musicals do you find challenging on this instrument, or what transition was hardest to make to clarinet in a musical?
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Author: rcnelson
Date: 2010-05-24 19:37
The clarinet parts in FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM are memorable for me as being difficult, both lead and other. I would like to do the show again, as I'm sure they would be a bit easier the 2nd time around.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-05-25 01:26
Thank you for your reply Ron. So, and I know this is off-topic, but what is your favorite "clarinet heavy" show that you've played in? Or, what is your favorite instrument to double clarinet with?
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Author: rcnelson
Date: 2010-05-25 13:22
For "clarinet only", THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Not difficult (good high school players can breeze through it) but still fun to play. Haven't done it in years...would like to do it again.
For the doubling shows, the bass clarinet in Reed 2 of MAME is fun, and the lead clarinet (primarily in Reed 2) of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE is my favorite in the jazz/big band type shows.
For what I like to double with clarinet, I don't have a favorite.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-05-26 02:26
Interesting. I wish I had a bass clarinet. I've heard that at my high school the next show might be Oklahoma or titanic. Thanks to bret's site I know what parts I would most likely receive. I'm very excited about it. But I don't know how technically demanding they are
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Author: rcnelson
Date: 2010-05-26 19:18
Have not played TITANTIC but OKLAHOMA (at least the original orchestration; don't know about the 2002 revival) is fairly easy, within the reach of good high school clarinetists. I played it the 1st time in the '70's when I was in high school and then again in 2007. There is minmal bass clarinet. In fact, I think the 1st clarinetist in 2007 simply used his Bb soprano.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-05-26 22:41
Yes. That's probably what I would do, not owning a bass clarinet. I could borrow one, but it might be a big hassle to run around with a large instrument that is barely needed. Thank you very much for your thoughts and comments!
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2010-05-29 17:42
I just finished playing Titanic. The clarinet book is not hard. The hardest things are the 16th- and 32nd-note scale flourishes that serve as pick-ups to many of the melodies, but if you can't play them, nobody will know (except you).
I think the most difficult clarinet book I've come across was Reed II for West Side Story (Reed II is the lead clarinet book, and Reed I is the lead alto sax book). A lot of technical playing in the extreme upper register at breakneck speeds.
Post Edited (2010-05-29 17:44)
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2010-06-01 23:33
I played first alto in the show once, and the guy playing that clarinet part played the Eb part on his Bb! Talk about high and difficult!
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-06-02 18:35
Oh gosh! That sounds painful. But wouldn't some of the notes be out of the range of the Bb after transposing from the Eb? If so, I really hope if my school does WSS my director will let me borrow one of the Eb's (He has two that we only ever use for shows and clarinet choirs). And by the way, was the first alto part fun? (if we do it, I'll probably have to cover the lead alto parts as well).
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2010-06-04 19:06
I don't remember them being out of range. This guy was really good, and the part had been transposed already, right in the book. So it was doable.
If you haven't played a lot of Eb, you will need to practice a lot of scales and such to get used to it. It's a completely different world from Bb.
Yes, the West Side Story lead alto book is great fun. Lots of solos (the one at the beginning is one of the most famous sax solos in all of musical theatre) and lead woodwind playing. But you need to put in a ton of work in learning the parts--including flute and piccolo, which are bears. I've played over 70 shows and WSS is easily the most challenging.
I just played WSS for the fourth time this past March. The first time was 25 years ago! The neat thing was that I put in a ton of practice time back then, and each time I've played the show since, I've had to do less and less practicing. This last time, I came in as a last-minute replacement, and literally sight-read it with no rehearsals. But because of my previous experiences and practice with it, my fingers remembered all the parts and I felt more comfortable than I ever had. It was quite satisfying.
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-06-04 19:57
That solo sounds fantastic. Now I really hope we do west side story haha. That's amazing that you just sightread a musical that difficult. I know it'll be a challenge for me, but I greatly look forward to it. Btw, thank you for the eb clar advice. Glad to find out about how much I would need to work on it!
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2010-06-09 22:46
Yeah, I had quite a surprise when a conductor friend of mine asked me if I could sit in with his orchestra on Eb for Shostakovich's 5th Symphony. (I didn't have an Eefer, but found a good one at a good price through this board!)
As a sax player, I thought the transition from Bb to Eb would be like going from tenor to alto. But no such luck--Eb is a completely bizarre instrument that has very little relation to Bb. And the reason Eefers exist in the first place is to play them high--and you have to learn some new fingerings in the upper register, because Bb fingerings won't work.
One of the high points of my musical life was having some lessons with Al Regni, who played lead alto on the original Broadway cast recording of West Side Story. He told me that was the best gig of his life.
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-06-10 04:55
That's amazing that you had lessons with him! That must have been a terrific experience! And you would think that it wouldn't be a major change from Bb to Eb...hmm. I'd definitely need to do some practicing on it to get to the desired level if it is almost completely different. In my limited Eb experience, it does usually go very high and duo segments with flutes and oboes are common. I just never would have guessed how different the two would be.
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2010-06-10 07:54
I will add that Eb is a very different beast than Bb. You would want to practice like you would if you were just starting out on Bb. Begin with some etudes, and proceed from there. I love playing the little monster, but it takes a different type of skill.
I really wish I would have gotten to play WSS when we did it at NC School of the Arts, but they split the parts up into more of an orchestral arrangement (the school really doesn't promote doubling), so I ended up not playing it. I really didn't want to do it if I couldn't go ahead and play the doubles, but from what I heard, it was a beast of a part for everyone (except the oboe part, which makes me glad I didn't play it) and that's coming from majors who were solely playing their instrument.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-06-11 02:48
Yes, it seems that WSS is just all around very challenging regardless of what version you are performing. And there are a LOT of versions! I would definitely agree that it wouldn't be as fun without doubles though. So, I guess the general concensus would be to approach the Eb like a beginner? I don't even know if we're doing WSS but if we are, I'm sure this advice will come in handy! Thank you! Haha
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2010-06-12 16:37
Here's a bit of advice I received from a veteran Eb player: if you're in the extreme upper register and you're doubling the flute or piccolo, take it down an octave. It'll be much more playable and in tune, and the conductor will most likely not notice.
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Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-06-12 23:53
Thank you for that advice as well! That will definitely come in handy, especially knowing how high and out of tune that instrument can go!
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