 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Taryn
Date: 2007-11-03 22:10
Hi everyone! I bought a bass clarinet about a year ago, and just recently joined a band with it. I'm finally getting serious about it, and am thinking about making it my principle instrument. Trouble is, I don't know of a lot of solo music for bass clarinet, which kind of makes university auditions a bit hard. Any ideas? On my soprano clarinet, I prefer anything romantic, such as Schumann and Brahms. Does anyone know of music in this style written for Bass clarinet?
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2007-11-04 03:36
Buy a book of Bach Cello Suites in the original bass clef. Learn to read bass clef fluently.
Unfortunately, bass clarinet wasn't a solo instrument in the Romantic era - it was just becoming an orchestral instrument. Buy Michael Drapkin's Symphonic Repertoire for the Bass clarinet series (this is where the bass clef practice comes in handy).
You can get some nice transcriptions from http://www.bassclarinet.org/alea.html .
Most original solo pieces for bass clarinet are modern - and some are very nice.
I'm sure others here will have excellent suggestions.
Steve Ballas
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Author: davidsampson
Date: 2007-11-04 05:11
Mozarts Bassoon Concerto k191
First Fantasie - Georges Marty
Deepwood - David Bennett
Lyrical Concerto - Simon Proctor
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Author: InTheBassment
Date: 2007-11-04 16:30
I'm a bass clarinet major. yes, it is incredibly difficult to find decent sounding solo bass clarinet music. For that reason, I believe I'm considered a clarinet major specializing in bass clarinet. check out the schools you're looking at and talk to clarinet majors. This might help: http://www.bassclarinet.org/bibliography/
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Author: Rhythmacres
Date: 2007-11-04 17:58
Why couldn't you take something that sounds good on bass clarinet from the clarinet repertoire? Maybe the Mozart Adagio?
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2007-11-04 18:09
The Osborne Rhapsody usually comes off nicely on the bass clarinet. It's not surprising as it was originally written for bassoon.
Christopher Nichols, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Clarinet
University of Delaware
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Author: Danny Boy
Date: 2007-11-04 19:17
I wouldn't say it's so hard to find things to play, you just have to talk to people and be open to new ideas.
The Schumann Fantasiestucke, I love them on cello and then heard them on bassoon, so decided to try them on the bass with good results. You even get a Bb part with the Peters Edition, I just use that.
The Hindemith Bassoon Sonata is a must learn work for bass clarinet, especially as it was actually approved by the composer for the instrument. I have the transposed version as a Sibelius file if anyone wants it, it's not published for bass as far as I'm aware.
The Schoeck Sonata
Heuke Sonate
Slucka Sonata
Soll, Mirabelle I
Loeb, Sonata Lirica
Chamber music...
York Bowen, Phantasy Quintet
Then there's the unaccompanied repertoire...
Boggio, Oskar's Dream (basset horn or bass)
Piacentium, A.B.E.G.G.
Berio, Sequenza IXc
Parisi, Come Dal Nulla
Ferneyhough, Time and Motion Study (if you're mad)
Cardew, Mountains
Works with electronics...
Bryars, 3 Elegies
Gehlhaar, Polymorph
Reich, New York Counterpoint
Siegal, Jackdaw
etc etc etc....
There's are lists of repertoire in Henri Bok's "New Techniques for Bass Clarinet" and the music to some of what's above.
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Author: Taryn
Date: 2007-11-04 19:20
I've tried playing clarinet music on the bass clarinet before. It doesn't sound quite right, and fingerings and runs that come easily on the clarinet are very difficult for me on the bass. Especially around the break, where I have difficulty reaching some of the keys, especially the right hand C# key. I'd really like to find music written at least for a lower instrument, because there are very big differences between soprano and bass instruments in terms of things like air support and resistance. I like the idea of basson solos though. I never thought of them for some reason.
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Author: nahoj
Date: 2007-11-05 20:28
Hi Danny Boy,
I'd like the Sibelius file of the Hindemith sonata, if your offer's still valid...
Thanks!
J.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-11-06 00:27
Hello Taryn,
I can completely understand how passages learned on one clarinet do not necessarily work so wonderfully on another.
I do feel, however, that anything I do on soprano I can do on bass. If you read any modern music written specifically for bass you will find that it not only does not stop in the low register, but continues into registers that the soprano is not comfortable with.
Having hadn't looked at them, I can't say with authority...but the bassoon pieces must take you into the clarion register.
Just doing the Bach cello partitas is a bit of a workout.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: nahoj
Date: 2007-11-06 19:57
The range of the bassoon is very comparable to the bass clarinet. Lowest note is the same (for low C bcl). Perhaps it is easier to go high on a bcl than a bassoon, I don't know, I don't play the bassoon. But bassoon pieces can for sure take you to the altissimo...
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Author: Taryn
Date: 2007-11-07 18:11
I find it harder to play over the break then the altissimo...but I have trouble reaching the keys sometimes too. Just getting used to the instrument I suppose
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2007-11-10 01:37
and take a look at the International Clarinet Association's list of works for
bass clarinet
http://www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/SCPA/clarstud2.html#Bass
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