 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-07-21 13:11
I'm in the process of finishing a new piece for concert band. For those of you who play in a band, please let me know if your ensemble would like to have a copy of the music. I'm making it available at no change to members of the forum.
The piece is scored for:
1,2 flutes
alto flute (featured)
oboe
1,2,3 Bb clarinet
bass clarinet
bassoon
1,2 alto sax
tenor sax
baritone sax
1,2,3 trumpets
1,2 french horns
1,2,3 trombones
baritone horn
tuba
Note: no percussion is used.
The composition does not easily fit in a single music category. Jazz is present in my harmonic voicings, orchestration, etc. Contemporary classical influences are also present as well as the inclusion of a tango. In writing this piece I'm not thinking about whether aspects of it are jazz, classical, or whatever. Rather, I'm just writing. The piece has shifting time meters; however, it should not be too difficult to perform.
Sets of the score & parts should be ready by early September.
For those interested in the music, please send your band name & location along with your contact information.
Roger Aldridge
Please visit my American Music Center composers page:
http://www.amc.net/RogerMAldridge
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-07-21 15:03
Not yet. I write my scores by hand and a copyist inputs them into notation software. It is anticipated that a sound file and sets of the score & parts will be ready in early September. The piece has a section for free-time improvisation for two or more instruments. Thus, the sound file will not give one a complete sense of the music.
As I mentioned previously, the piece will be available to members of the forum for no charge. Copying and mailing costs are being underwritten.
Roger
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Author: davyd
Date: 2009-07-21 17:57
If this work is intended for nonprofessional groups, you'll need to see to it that Alto Flute solos are cued somewhere, as it's not a standard instrument in concert band. Separate parts for Baritones treble clef and bass clef will also be needed.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-07-21 18:49
Thanks for your thoughts.
Yes, it's standard to have separate bass and treble clef parts for baritone horn.
As for the alto flute.... It's becoming more common to have an alto flute available in a band. If there is a flute choir in the area it's likey that it has at least one alto. The concert band in our area has two alto flutes. But, please don't ask how often they are used! ha ha ha
This piece needs to have an alto flute for its particular sound. It won't be the same with another instrument playing cues. The best way for the alto flute to become more widely used in concert bands is for composers to write for it.
Roger
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2009-07-21 19:16
I've never even seen an alto flute, or known someone who has one, and I play in several provincial bands, as well as All-City. If a high school concert band is the kind of group who will play this, I would anticipate it to be a problem.
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2009-07-21 19:38
Roger, I just e-mailed you. It the case of our organization, no percussion parts will be a plus. 'Nuff said.
Ditto the cues for the alto flute part. Our community band doesn't have one.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-07-21 19:43
It's possible that one of your flute friends might have an alto flute or be able to borrow one -- especially, if they also play in a flute choir. A flute choir typically has piccolo, concert flute, alto flute, and bass flute parts.
I agree that if a concert band is not playing music that calls for an alto flute there is no reason for a flautist to bring one to practice.
It interesting how the alto flute has become a focus of the discussion.
I orginally wrote this piece for the community concert band in my area. The first flute in the band is a superb flautist who has several flutes including an alto. In addition, alto flute is one of my doubles (concert flute, alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax, and tenor sax). I know other flautists in the area who have an alto flute. Thus, I don't think of the alto flute as being such a rarity anymore. Woops! I just remembered that one of the clarinetists in the band is a doubler and he, too, has an alto flute. Thus, the band has THREE alto flutes.
Regardless, the alto flute has an important role in this music. If a band does not have an alto flute available, then this piece will not work for it.
I'm simply making this music available to other bands if they would like to have it.
Roger
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-06 00:07
I thought of another option for this piece: Use a jazz ensemble with additional brass (3 french horns, baritone horn, tuba) and woodwind (4 flutes, alto flute, oboe, bassoon, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet) players who could be recruited from a local concert band. I envision this as being used in a special concert.
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Author: BrianChau
Date: 2009-08-06 04:06
Roger, just emailed you. Also, it would be great to include an Alto Clarinet part.
Brian
NOTE: I do not live in Hong Kong
Brian Chau
University of British Columbia Concert Winds
Post Edited (2009-08-06 04:15)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-08-06 06:03
I'd advise against writing a piece with the intention of having it played in special concerts, if you're hoping to get it played often, unless there's already some special concert lined up. Unless the piece is absolutely amazing, it will likely be pretty rare to find a group willing to go significantly out of their way to play it.
Requiring an alto flute as a critical member doesn't help matters.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-08-06 14:25
Oh, I don't know. When I was in high school we played a band transcription of Rimsky-Korsakoff's Scheherazade that had a critical alto flute part, which was interesting seeing as the original orchestral version did not call for an alto flute. If it were that hard to get a hold of an alto flute, I would have thought they would have chosen something else for that part, especially seeing that Rimsky did.
Personally, I love the sound of an alto flute--I think it's seriously underused in classical music (as opposed to jazz).
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-06 14:54
Alex,
When I mentioned a special concert it was in the context of it being performed by a jazz ensemble and having additional brass and woodwinds. The music could be performed in a "regular" concert; however, it would be out of the ordinary for a jazz ensemble to have the additional brass and woodwinds. But, this happens. I remember one of the military jazz ensembles in Washington DC having a featured trumpet soloist. At one point in the concert additional brass and woodwind players joined the jazz ensemble to perform some Gil Evans pieces. Of course, a concert band will have the instrumentation.
The most direct way for the alto flute to become more commonly used in concert bands is for composers to write for the instrument. So far, I've received requests from 16 bands for my piece. (Thanks!) It appears that most of them either have a flautist who owns an alto or is able to borrow one. If all else fails, I'll work with a band to figure out an alternative instrument and supply a part to replace the alto flute. Nevertheless, the alto flute's tone color is important to this piece.
PS, I should add that last season I played flute in our community wind ensemble and often used my alto flute. Its tone color made a really nice contribution to the sound of the band. However, I sight transposed everything. None of our scores had an alto flute part. That experience served as an encouragement to use the alto flute in my new concert band piece.
Roger
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Author: William
Date: 2009-08-06 15:07
Both of our local "bands" have an alto flute available. I look forward hearing your work--check your email :>)
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2009-08-06 16:53
I would further suggest that Herr van Beethoven reconsider using trombones in his new Fifth Symphony. Or if he insists, at least cue them somewhere, like the cellos. Otherwise it will probably be rarely played, if ever.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-08-06 18:52
As long as you know the circumstances... I come across quite a few composers who write for oddball ensembles and then are shocked and dismayed when nobody plays their music.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-08-06 20:11
Roger, I have suggested the availability of your new music to our Tulsa Band where Jan Dailey, our 1st flutist, ?might? have an alto, I'm sure she would capable to play it. Having brought an alto clarinet into our band with some success, could the fl part be played on it, if needed ?? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-06 22:12
Don, Won't work. Alto clarinet is in Eb and alto flute is in G.
Alex, I, too, can think of pieces written for very unusual instruments. Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse on this but I don't consider the alto flute to be an oddball instrument. In recent years there has been a wider selection of alto flutes are being produced...and in less expensive price ranges. Jupiter is a good example of a reasonably priced alto flute that is also decent quality. With alto flutes being more affordable, it's becoming more common for flautists to have an alto flute along with a concert flute and piccolo.
I'm curious, do you double on flute?
Roger
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-08-06 22:38
It wasn't so much the alto flute that I was concerned about as the jazz ensemble with a small army of helper players. Alto flutes aren't THAT hard to come by, and it is a nice sound, and if you can successfully get it played and make it a more common member of the ensemble, I'm all for that. That said, I've never been in an ensemble with a dedicated alto flutist. Usually at least one had access to one, but it really doesn't come up often.
I consider any instrumentation that has little to no rep written for it to be oddball. Not that it's a bad thing... it's just significantly easier for the ensemble to program it and for the composer to get it played if it matches the membership of existing groups.
Flute was my first instrument, but haven't played one in about 12 years.
Per Don's question, the key shouldn't matter. People can transpose. The bigger issue would be whether it would work musically/acoustically.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-06 23:28
Alex,
Flautists are similar to saxophone and clarinet players who have several instruments. The flute people I know who have an alto flute typically also have a concert flute and piccolo.....in some cases, several flutes (different metals or wood). In my case, I have a clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute, alto sax, and tenor sax. Alto flutes are definitely more common than bass flutes.
The idea I had about having a jazz ensemble perform the piece with additional brass and woodwinds was simply another option. If a community or school has both a jazz ensemble and a concert band/wind ensemble it should not be a problem to pull together the required players. I can envision a jazz ensemble with the extra players as being extremely exciting. It would be a fantastic thing to have on a program.
Nevertheless, the easiest option -- and what the piece is scored for -- is a concert band.
The question about an alto clarinet is really interesting! To my best knowledge, I cannot think of anyone in my concert band who owns an alto clarinet. However, there are three of us who have an alto flute. How's that for a turn-around? ha ha ha
As I mentioned before, I'll be happy to work with any band that is interested in my concert band piece but does not have an alto flute to figure out an alternative and I'll supply a part for that instrument to cover the alto flute part. Therefore, let's not have the alto flute be a stumbling block for any band that would like to try my music.
If such a band has an alto clarinet....yes, that would work for me. Of course, it's a completely different tone color. But, I can see it working quite well in this piece. As I recall, the highest alto flute note in the piece would be a high G# for alto clarinet. That should not be an issue for a decent player. Good idea!
Roger
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-08-06 23:47
For the ultimate in exotic flutes, you really have to check this one out and listen to the MP3 link at the bottom. I know it's not a clarinet and it's a bit off topic, but this was just too cool for me not to post something about it, because I've never seen anything like this before. It's a flute with a range comparable to a 5-string bass!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_contrabass_flute
Post Edited (2009-08-06 23:48)
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2009-08-07 13:05
I note Doug Besterman, the excellent broadway arranger, cued the alto flute part in The Producers for clarinet in the Reed 3 book (Clarinet, Effer, Flute, Tenor sax).
Since as a composer you want your work performed, doing such -- while not absolutely true to your vision -- makes it more accessible to more groups. Just a thought.
vJoe (amateur, playing the Reed 3 book)
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2009-08-07 20:14
Yes, I understand.
To give a bit more background about my concert band music, I use some involved orchestral tone color blendings throughout the piece. Some of the color blendings are not typical of concert band material. Several examples: a unison line for bassoon, alto flute, and french horn; alto flute blended with clarinet and plunger-muted trumpet, flutes in a harmonic cluster with a high range bassoon, etc. When performed, these color blendings can sound startling fresh and exciting. They are as important to the music as are the harmonic structures and melody. In fact, the orchestral color blendings go through a development or permutation process that is similar to melodic development.
With that in mind, I have to be careful in determining which instrument to use as an optional replacement for the alto flute. If, for example, I use a clarinet then the place where the alto flute is blended with a clarinet will completely lose its effect.
So, you see, it's not as simple as just replacing one instrument for another through the use of cues. As I described in a previous message, I'm happy to work with a band on a case-by-case basis to see what instruments are available and pick one that is not used in my score. Don's suggestion of an alto clarinet is an excellent idea.
I'm sorry if this is sounds complicated. I spent a quite a bit of time devising the color blendings used in the score. Several were inspired by Gil Evans' work (such as the alto flute, bassoon, and french horn) and others are my own invention.
Roger
Post Edited (2009-08-07 21:23)
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