 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-01-15 03:22
Today, while kept in by bad weather, I re-read The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet, edited by Colin Lawson. It was published back in 1995, and it is a collection of essays (some good, some fair, some poor) on various aspects of the whole clarinet experience.
I was surprised (and, at the same time, quite pleased) to note that, in a book that purports to cover the spectrum of the clarinet world, in a book that contains an extensive section on the "ghost" clarinets up in the high range (Ab, G, B and so forth), and a whole chapter on the basset horn, that there is only one (that's uno, adien, un, eins) mention of the alto clarinet in Eb (and then only en passant, when introducing the basset horn), along with one photo of one included in a group Leblanc (naturally) photograph.
Something to consider, when taking up the alto clarinet - the experts in the clarinet field (at least in jolly ol' England) don't even see fit to acknowledge it in their omnibus treatment on the work of clarinet playing...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-01-15 05:00
The alto clarinet was the WMD (Weapon of Musical Destruction) purported to be in Iraq and never found.
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2007-01-15 05:24
I just played mine yesterday -- and with other people! (When not playing it, I hide it in a bunker to avoid detection by satellites).
Steve Epstein
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-01-15 05:31
"and then only en passant"
I'm only familiar with the term "en passant" in chess and had no idea it exists anywhere else. What does it mean in the way you used it?
Thanks.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-01-15 07:14
"en passant" is french for (verbatim) "while passing by" or "while being there". Eg you went for gasoline and en passant you bought a sixpack of soda. (but you wouldn't have left the comfy chair just for the soda alone)
It's a very common here, but we have a lot of borrowed french expressions here. (and it's ever so chic)
--
Ben
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-01-15 14:10
I'm going to have to watch my vocabulary. Not too many chess players left out there, I guess...
In the instant case, it was a parenthetical expression in a sentence that was otherwise all about the basset horn. The authoress, sort of acknowledged that there was such a thing as an Eb alto clarinet, but it was not really a basset horn, and then moved on to an exclusive discussion of the latter instrument.
And, that was it. A whole two hundred page book with three references to the alto clarinet (and one of those was the index entry). All of this from English essayists, the very folks that have been responsible for the most of the few orchestral uses of the instrument. Damning with faint praise, indeed...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2007-01-15 14:36
People on the board are quick. Real quick.
I noticed the same thing when reading that book. By the way, if there's anyone out there reading this posting who doesn't have a copy of it, it's highly recommended reading. It should at least be on every player's shelf--if for nothing else a good bad weather read.
Terry, we're still iced in here in Abilene, TX. Power on and off for the last 3 days. This is the first time I've fired up the computer. No heat last night--but thank God we have fireplaces. I look like Ralphie's little brother in The Christmas Story with all the layers of clothes.
I know, I know, you guys up North go through this all the time. Please excuse me. I'm not whining.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-01-15 17:27
"No heat last night--but thank God we have fireplaces. "
Did you at least have a bassoon or two to burn to keep you warm? ![[whoa]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie10.gif)
Just kidding.
Jeff
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Author: joannew
Date: 2007-01-16 11:54
"...the few orchestral uses of the instrument..."
do tell, please, who composed orchestral music including alto? I have a beautiful alto, and I would love to find somthing more dignified than 'show tunes transcribed for clarinet choir' to play on it!
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-01-16 14:31
I'm not near my source materials just now, but off of the top of my head, I recall that Percy Grainger used it in one or two compositions. Not the sort of thing likely to appear on too many programs outside of Blighty, but still legitimate music.
There's a pretty good examination of the whole "extensive orchestral literature for the alto clarinet" (please note that I am being sarcastic here) question in Cecil Forsyth's book Orchestration, an old and well preserved copy of which is in my library at home. Not too much there, but the English composers were well represented in what was listed.
Forsyth tries to be kind, but from the general tenor of his remarks you gather that he didn't see a surge in alto clarinet chairs in orchestras any time soon. Time has shown his assumption to be the correct one.
One title sticks in my mind, something like "Apollo And The Sea". It was full of thematic stuff, with the alto horn representing one of the characters in some dramatic setting or other. Whatever it was, I can say with certainty I've never seen it in some thirty-five years of university and community orchestra performing.
(It was possible that these compositions were being subsidized by B H as a sort of make-work project to benefit the hundreds of thousands of skilled alto clarinet craftsmen that were once employed in making the things - but I don't know for sure...)
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-01-16 20:58
Being a somewhat philosophical character [Yes, I have a good A C], I'm not greatly disturbed by lack of mention, Terry. I'm sorta content with finding good A C parts in the band transcriptions of L'Arlesienne, Rosenkavalier Waltzes, Light Cavalry and a FEW others, and its inclusion in modern band music [good/bad!]. However, I'm on a crusade to show conductors and band cl'ists that there is some good, even if its only in support/replacement for viola [perhaps cello] parts. I'm now just awaiting a call from our local symp. mgr , but not holding my breath. RE: winter weather, Brenda et al, rite hear in [frozen] River City [NE Okla] we've been iced-in for some 4 days, finally made it out, took a couple of hrs to knock off 2" of ice on car, so as to be able to drive on icy roads, carefully. Dire Predicts for Sat/Sun. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2007-01-16 23:55
It seems like as soon as alto clarinet is the issue people start to talk about the weather instead. I wonder why that is?
My only professional experience with alto clarinet is a recording of a piano concerto with wind band by the Swedish composer Torbjörn Lunqvist made 12 years ago. The soloist was Roland Pöntinen. Demanding solo part but not great music.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2007-01-17 00:25
The only soft spot that I have for the alto clarinet is that the first time I was paid anything for performing music, it was the alto clarinet that was in my hands.
But that was a very long time ago, and I've managed to outgrow the youthful tendencies that I once had...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2007-01-17 03:18
Wow! Golly, gee, Terry! You make me feel young again . . . think I'll pull out my Alto, squeak through a couple of scales, and split a reed. It's so sweet to enter my 2nd childhood. Eu
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2007-01-17 14:38
Agreed on the book. The chapters on the high clarinets and the bassett horn are beautifully done, some of the best things I've read on either subject, but there are some serious gaps in a couple of the other chapters. This same book has a chapter on the C clarinet, which is certainly no more common than the alto. Still I find this book a very valuable reference and recommend it to any on this list.
I did play alto once in an orchestral piece and there was even a solo. This was thirty years ago so i don't remember it's name even although I still remember the odd little solo! In fact I use it to warm up the alto and the basset.
Of course what we complain about in this book we could also complain about in The Clarinet. There are the occasional pieces on bass but I haven't seen one on Eefer for awhile and I can't think of a single one on alto or contrabass, can you?
Eefer guy
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Author: joannew
Date: 2007-01-18 07:17
Google tells me there is a series of method books by Rhoades for alto (or bass) clarinet: one volume is from Baermann, one volume from the cello literature, etc. Does anyone have experience with these? Are they particularly "alto-y", or would any good methods for clarinet do just as well? Perhaps they just repackage the usual studies with 'alto' on the cover to make a few extra sales?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-01-18 14:17
I also agree on the scarcity of tech info on our "ugly stepchild", tho I believe that Rendall gives more than most others [will reread]. I took a quick look into 1976+ patents via alto AND clarinet [52 retrieved, very few of real interest], then narrowed the search via adding AND Selmer [and others] in USPTO's "Refined Search". Nearly nothing of interest. Will try the new pat search site. So any pat refs are in the "old file", pre 1976., except for Hanson/Bay 4,206,680, BUT the refs cited therein include pat #s worth looking at, Leblanc [Leon] in partic. I do know of a pat with "Alto and Bass cls" in title, will refind and add here. In my alto experience, one [of a very few] alto by Pedler had "Double Register Keying" as on their bass cl, I gave it to my Tulsa Comm Band, along with an OLD Conn Bass [also with D R K !]. SO, it appears that our thread/posts HERE are likely the best info [readily] accessible [short of searching in FR, DE and GB pats], but will look further. GBK, should this and others be in a new thread to indicate "Alto Clarinet" ? Great hunt?, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: mk
Date: 2007-01-19 04:54
That book is a relic and the sad thing is the weather over there is so bad you must have run out of good reading materal....lol...
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2007-01-19 11:56
joannew,
I have the Rhoade's book and it has a nice colection of studies, mostly in the lower end range of the instruments that are nice sounding and are very good sort of warm up exercises. In fact I used it yesterday with my bass. Nothing yuou would play in public but not ugly either!
Eefer guy
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The Clarinet Pages
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