 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: graham
Date: 2011-05-04 07:54
Does anyone happen to know whether the bass part in Dvorak's Noon Witch is written in A or B flat? I would like to be fore-armed if possible, as I am not too good at the A transposition thing (not concerned about clefs).
Thanks
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-05-04 14:35
I can only assume he wrote for A clarinets in all 1st, 2nd and bass as there are a lot of low Es in there for all of them.
The basses at the time would've mostly been simple systems built to low E so an A bass would have to be used to get the extra semitone (concert C#/Db) the simple system Bb basses lacked.
Just looking through the original parts it would make sense to do it all with Bb instruments provided they're all built to low Eb - but that's very rarely the case and not many players play full Boehms nowadays (although there are some die-hards like myself that fly the flag for them).
http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/c/cd/IMSLP20023-PMLP46644-Dvorak_Witch_Cls.pdf
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-05-04 23:09
Some composers just wrote for bass in A when they wrote for clarinet in A. It's real easy to transpose down a half step unless there's a lot of flats and double flats. You just cancel the sharps and make everything else flat, of course flat notes have to become double flats, or the face note below, which is why in flat keys it's a bit more difficult then in sharp keys. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: DarylGolden
Date: 2022-08-22 10:41
Hello Chris P
Do you know of a working link for IMSLP91218-PMLP46644-Noon_Witch_Bass_Clarinet_B-flat.pdf the link listed here isn't working anymore. Thanks
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-08-26 14:45
I had to play this the other month. Then on the day of the concert, the 2nd clarinettist had a last minute emergency and had to drop out so I had to pretty much sight read all the 2nd clarinet parts for Noonday Witch, Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations and Sibelius 2nd Symphony on the concert (with just the one rehearsal that afternoon). I didn't bring my bass as I thought both parts would clash, but luckily one of the percussionists ended up playing bass clarinet for Noonday Witch. I really know how to live on the edge sometimes!
The funny thing is the hired orchestral parts had 'In Bb' written on the bass part when it was clearly for bass in A.
Check the transposed Bb part between figures 9 and 10 as I think there's a wrong note in there.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: DarylGolden
Date: 2022-09-07 11:27
Hi Chris - that's a wild story having to jump over to soprano at the last moment. Thanks for the heads-up between rehearsal 9 and 10. I think it looks okay with the key signature. Cheers
Daryl.
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Author: lydian
Date: 2022-09-07 16:44
Sounds like the solution is to just find a percussionist who plays bass clarinet. What are the odds.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-09-08 01:39
The wrong note is in the 5th bar before figure 10 (or 4th bar after where it says in tempo with the semibreve low Ab marked pp) - the second minim in that bar should be a B natural instead of an A, so you're going from low E up a 5th to A in that bar.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2022-09-08 01:40)
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2022-11-02 22:06
Chris, whoever that percussionist was they sure stole my thunder(sheet), because apart from being a soprano/bass clarinetist I also happen to play some percussion! But I digress.
Josh
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