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Re: First Low C Bass Clarinet/Low C Extension?

Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2015-03-05 17:16

Before Shostakovich wrote the Low C, R. Strauss and Stravinsky wrote for Low Ds for the bass clarinet(Death and Transfiguration, Pertrushka). The Low D also has been seen occasionally in concert band pieces. Plus it is also useful for playing cello parts. While it has become a norm that the student and "short" basses have a range to Low Eb, IMHO it is only logical if they extend it to Low D, for the instrument will be far more useful and valuable. Perhaps the Left pinkie key would have done it. In fact I believe every low clarinet should at least have a Low D key. If the lower saxes have the Low A vent to extend the range, wouldn't it be logical if they do the same on the low clarinets?

Back to the reperatoire topic, Mahler would also have written beyond the existing range at that time. There is a passage in his 6th which the bass clarinet is intended to unison with the bassons down to Low C#, but Mahler omitted the Low C# on th bass Cl part, leaving it to the bassons only, though nowadays some bass clarinettists restore that omitted note. There also seems to be more omitted extended notes in his 7th, But that has yet to be verified.

Josh

Post Edited (2015-03-06 09:07)

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