 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Musikat
Date: 2025-10-24 21:56
My college community orchestra is playing Mahler 1 next semester and hasn't had any luck so far finding an Eb player to cover the dedicated 4th part. We do have someone who will come in the last week to play the 3rd part.
I play Eb, but would rather play 1st on this if possible, as it is the only piece we are playing with clarinets (the other piece is the Weber clarinet concerto so no clarinets).
Does anyone know if it is possible (and has anyone ever done it), to cover the main Eb solos while also playing 1st (or even 2nd, as I could do either)? We have two regular clarinets and we typicallly switch off sharing 1st. I know something would have to be left out for either part, but essentially I am asking is it possible to cover the four parts with just three players?
If the answer is no and assuming we could find an Eb player, if you had to choose between playing first or Eb, which would you choose and why?
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Author: lmliberson
Date: 2025-10-25 00:43
Hopefully, you are aware that two Eb players are required for Mahler 1st, right?
It sort of begs the question as to why this piece would be programmed if you are unsure of having the necessary personnel.
There are a couple of sections in the third movement when the Eb plays at the same time as the first clarinet. That’s what Mahler asked for so it should be respected. Frankly, the conductor should be the one responsible in making a decision as to playing without four clarinets Let he or she rearrange the whole symphony! 😂
As to what part would be preferable? Depends on what you want to do. The Eb solos and duets in the third movement are the most unique passages, IMO, while the first clarinet doesn’t have that many solos - in fact, most everyone is doubled throughout the piece.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-10-25 01:14
A fair while back I was booked by the principal clarinettist of a local orchestra to cover both 3rd and 4th clarinet parts in Mahler 1.
There's absolutely NO WAY that can be done with just the one player covering both 3rd and 4th parts as there's far too much important stuff going on in both parts at the same time. You need all four clarinettists to make it work - there's no other way around it.
Here's how it played out:
Conductor - "Where's the bass clarinet?"
Me - "I'm playing Eb here."
A few moments and swapping over parts later ...
Conductor - "Where's the Eb clarinet?"
Me - "I'm playing bass here."
What was even more annoying is the fact I borrowed a C clarinet from a local player who I found out when I returned it after the concert, he wasn't even doing anything that day, so ideally he should've been booked to play either 3rd or 4th clarinet. It was a complete oversight on the principal clarinettist's part which should never have happened.
In the end, I had Eb, C, Bb, A and bass clarinets to juggle with during the course of the symphony as well as juggling both 3rd and 4th clarinet parts. Bloody nightmare.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-10-25 01:47
Musikat wrote:
> My college community orchestra is playing Mahler 1 next
> semester and hasn't had any luck so far finding an Eb player to
> cover the dedicated 4th part. We do have someone who will come
> in the last week to play the 3rd part.
>
> I play Eb, but would rather play 1st on this if possible,
It sounds as though the easiest way to have 4 players will be for you to play 4th (Eb), have the other regular clarinetist play 1st and get someone else to play 2nd.
Karl
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2025-10-25 13:18
You need all parts covered I’m afraid. You can’t do this symphony with gaps missing as everything is needed.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-10-25 15:57
And if you do get the four players to cover the four parts, make sure you get players who do play bass clarinet and don't play the bass parts up an 8ve on Bb as that buggers up the voicings.
That happened with the same orchestra when they did Orff's 'Carmina Burana' where I was booked to play Eb, but one of the others borrowed an Eb which she couldn't use as the mouthpiece didn't fit and she didn't even bother using a bass clarinet at all, so the voicings were all wrong as a result as the root notes of the chords were missing in certain sections.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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