Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-03-18 14:12
clarnibass, of course you're correct about "UPS" --- I was just trying to make Larry Bocaner feel better by having a 'senior moment' of my own!
But back to alto clarinets --- I used to hate them too, until I bought and renovated a nice one, a 1950s Kohlert (Winnenden, Germany) wood instrument which is basically a scaled-down version of my bass clarinet. It sounds good and is enjoyable to play (couldn't tell you if anyone is enjoying listening to it, though!)
I think there are two reasons that alto clarinet has such a bad reputation:
1) Since it's basically only used in concert bands (if at all), there is little incentive for the purchase of good ones, and so most of the alto clarinets we hear are student models, often in a poor state of repair. Good alto clarinets, like good bass clarinets, should have an automatic double register vent system to really sound good in the clarion register, and most of them don't.
2) Let's face it, there is still a prevalent philosophy in schools and community bands that the less-accomplished clarinetists should play harmony clarinets -- so many of the alto clarinet players we here are maybe not such great players to begin with.
Just some theories.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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