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 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet
Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date:   2016-09-25 14:43

>> I don't believe that composers of Beethoven's era wrote for a particular clarinet with a special sound in mind - more for convenience of transposition in an era of primitive keywork. So I don't think we are compelled to use his notated instrument. For example, the violin concerto has outer movements in A but the slow movement is in C. Since you want the solo there to have the most gorgeous sound you can muster, I much prefer to stay on A throughout.>>

You choose here an example that doesn't support your case, technically.

The slow movement 'solo' is actually a duet with the ethereal violin, accompanied just by violins and later, violas. On a period C clarinet, playing it involves a slide C#/D#, plus reaching round the back of the instrument with your thumb for the B/C# transition to avoid another. You then have for your last note a low B, the only third in the G major chord (everyone else is playing a G, actually) for which you hopefully have a key.

There is also the Eb/C slide if you play it on the A clarinet, but the point is that it's no more demanding than what you have to do on the C. So he didn't write it for C clarinet to make it easier technically.

What IS more difficult to do on the A clarinet is to match the silvery sound of the high violin. It needs to be a particular SORT of 'gorgeous'. One is reminded of the wonderful trio of obbligato violin and two C clarinets in the later Missa Solemnis. Beethoven of all people understood such things: he wasn't deaf when he learnt how to use the orchestra.

Before I equipped myself with a (modern) C clarinet, I used to play this passage on the Bb clarinet, which I figured anyway enabled me to get nearer to the sense of sweet innocence and loss I felt was required – even though (but also because) it involves a switch of instrument.

Tony
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 Topics Author  Date
 The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
MoonPatrol 2016-09-24 21:14 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
KenJarczyk 2016-09-24 23:22 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
John Peacock 2016-09-25 00:17 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
MoonPatrol 2016-09-27 23:19 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
kdk 2016-09-25 02:31 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Sean.Perrin 2016-09-25 03:41 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
KenJarczyk 2016-09-25 04:10 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
gwie 2016-09-25 08:00 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Bob Bernardo 2016-09-25 08:28 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-25 14:43 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
John Peacock 2016-09-25 23:47 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Sean.Perrin 2016-09-26 01:00 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-26 01:39 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
DavidBlumberg 2016-09-26 06:28 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Ed Palanker 2016-09-26 17:30 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Bob Bernardo 2016-09-26 20:30 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
kdk 2016-09-26 20:46 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
dorjepismo 2016-09-26 22:04 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Klose 2016-09-26 22:24 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 00:00 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Klose 2016-09-27 00:30 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 00:45 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Klose 2016-09-27 01:35 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 01:54 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Klose 2016-09-27 02:16 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 03:16 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 04:31 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
KenJarczyk 2016-09-27 07:48 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Bob Bernardo 2016-09-27 08:30 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
patrica 2016-09-27 11:02 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
patrica 2016-09-27 11:07 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
John Peacock 2016-09-27 15:22 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
KenJarczyk 2016-09-27 15:51 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
dorjepismo 2016-09-27 19:02 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-27 19:29 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
patrica 2016-09-27 21:48 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
dorjepismo 2016-09-27 23:29 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
KenJarczyk 2016-09-27 23:38 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-28 00:53 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
kdk 2016-09-28 03:14 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
Tony Pay 2016-09-28 03:44 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
MoonPatrol 2016-10-01 08:18 
 Re: The fast switch from B to A Clarinet  new
dorjepismo 2016-10-01 19:37 


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