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Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 00:00:23 +0000
From: Terje Lerstad
Subject: Re: [CB] Bass Clarinet Masterworks excerpts?
> From: "Jim Wheeler" <wheelerjw@dplus.net>
> Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 20:19:39 -0400
>
> Can anyone here on the list point me to a book of Bass Clarinet of symphony, opera, band, etc. excerpts?
>
> Years ago I found "World's Favorite #126, Masterworks for Clarinet, book 2, Ashley publications, c 1980, 140 pp. It has excerpts from 38 composers. Anyone know of a similar book for bass clarinet?
>
> Thanks,
> JW
> J. W. WheelerHallo,
I'm quite new on this list, but I see there's a lot to answer ( and ask ) every day.
A very good ochestral exerpt book, which I use for my students at the Norwegian Academy of Music, is Symphonic Repertoire for the bass clarinet by Michael Drapkin
To get a copy (US$18.00 + shipping pr. 27.2.00) write a mail to "RONCORP INC."<roncorp@home.com>
In additon, there are the books from International Music Company (New York) on Strauss and Wagner. The Wagner book has most of the important bass clarinet solos in the Wagner operas, and the Volume 2 of Strauss ("for Eflat and bass clarinet")
has passages from the symphonic repertory. These books you should get in any reasonably equipped store (or order it).
Unfortunately I don't know of any book specifically for bass clarinet operatic exerpts (does some one else know), but maybe that's an idea to make after playing bass clarinet myself for 19 years in an opera orchestra?
Yours
Terje Lerstad---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 00:19:44 +0000
From: Terje Lerstad
Subject: Re: [CB] Repertoire!Klaus Bjerre wrote:
> > *Opus 28: TRIOSONATE for "sykkelpumpe, salmesykkel og onenerende
> > buskmann, samt meg selv ved HB-apparatet". A 15' work scored for
> > subbass recorder,octocontrabass clarinet, 2 bongos, and harmonium.
> > The clarinet and harmonium serve as continuo parts, with the subbass
> > recorder taking the solo role.
>
> Not sure that a translation of the line-up for this piece should occur in
> any decent concert program. It would be counted non-PC on at least 2
> points.Hello,
I'm glad you did not translate this particular title. It was originally a joke made for a student party (and performed there, (unfortunately) with contrabass clarinet instead of octocontrabass and bass recorder instead of subbass recorder). I think this must have happened in 1979 (the year 1982 is the year I revised most of my works). I will also remove the title from the web.
yours
Terje Lerstad---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 01:43:10 +0000
From: Terje Lerstad
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]
Grant Green wrote:
> >I keep seeing these mentions of an Octo-contraalto & Octo-contra bass
> >clarinets. Are these instruments real and if so who makes them? What purpose
> >are they used for? I see no mentions of these instruments in any
> >orchestration books present & past.
> >
> >Ed Beach
>
> Hi Ed,
> The octocontrabass and octocontralto clarinets were made by Leblanc: only
> one of the former, and three of the latter. You can probably still find
> mention of them at the Leblanc website (www.gleblanc.com), and if memory
> serves, A. Baines refers to an "experimental sub-contrabass clarinet" in
> his book "Woodwind Instruments and their History".Hi,
There is in fact a project to try to make these instruments heard, as they indeed exist, but in a very bad condition. As you will see from my page, I have written several pieces included these instruments. But, I gave up in the mid-70's, when Leblanc said they would not make any more of these instruments, they would not hire theme out and they would not put them in proper playing condition.
The big problem when Houvenagel constructed these instruments around 1960, even the contrabass clarinet was considered "not playable","of no use" etc. Now the situation is completely different: A lot of wind bands and clarinet choirs use contra instruments, and even in a small country like Norway a lot of composers write really virtuoso parts in the symphony orchestra for contraalto and contrabasso clarinets. In fact it's possible to write an octet for contra clarinets for performance with local players in Oslo. I played a complete outdoor concert this summer for contraalto clarinet with live electronics.
But now the problem is reversed: The players are interested in the instruments, at least some composers write for them, but the few instruments in existence are in bad shape.
As one of the few players who have actually played both the octocontraalto and the octocontrabass clarinet (the two others must be Léon Leblanc and the constructor Houvenagel himself), I can say that these instruments are usable, or as usable as people considered the contrabass clarinet 30 years ago. I tried in 1979 one octocontraalto, going low Eflat (sounding) and one octocontrabass, going to 64 foot (or is that 128 foot?) Bbflat. I had to get some help from the office staff to get the lowest tones sounding (because of not closing keys etc.), but the sound was fantastic: A real acoustic sound of these extreme notes (not any organ trick or a synthesizer).
As far as I know, 5 octocontra instruments are made:
Does anyone live near Philadelphia, or can anyone check out this last information?
- One octocontrabass descending to low (written) C in the Paris Leblanc office.
- One octocontraalto descending to low (written) C in the Paris Leblanc office. (These are the 2 instruments I have tried out in the office of Mr. G.Leblanc around 1979)
- One octocontraalto(Léon Leblanc's instrument)
- One octocontraalto (where is this??)
- One octocontraalto made for Lalo Schifrin for his theme music for the 1960s television series (not the film) 'Mission Impossible'. This is a straight instument (imagine the height!) not made by Leblanc (by who?). Played by Lucien Caillet, but should now be in the collection of instruments of former musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra. (Information on nos.3-5 from Francis Firth and Tom Izzo).
Does anyone have a good connection with Vito, because the Paris department seems to depend on Vito and does not dear to do anything. I'll start writing french letters when there's any hope.Yous
Terje LerstadPS. I will play a concert in november in Oslo with two clarinets descending below the contrabass clarinet: A performance of M.Kagel:Atem für einen Bläser, using a contrabass clarinet extended by a contraalto clarinet, and my self-made "3-keyed baroque octocontrabass clarinet in G", both instruments descending to 128 foot G!
---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 08:28:32 EDT
From: Opusnandy
Subject: Re: [CB] Repertoire!Terje-
Now that I've discovered that you are a member of this list, I can ask you a question I've been wondering about for a while. Number one, have you actually played/seen the octocontraalto and octocontrabass clarinets? And, number two, what is the written lower limit to their ranges? Different sources have said both low D and low C. As an orchestrator, I would love to know!
Thanks!
Jon Carreira
Bassoonist/Heckelphonist
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 10:31:37 -0800
From: Andrew Stiller
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]> A lot of wind bands and clarinet choirs use contra instruments, and even in a small country like Norway a lot of composers
>write really virtuoso parts in the symphony orchestra for contraalto and contrabasso clarinets. In fact it's possible to write an >octet for contra clarinets for performance with local players in Oslo.When I wrote a cbcl part in a piece for the Warsaw Orchestra, Wm. Thos. McKinley, who was acting as go-between, tried to tell me there were only 2 cbcls in all of Europe, and was actually shocked when I told him (in one word) that he was full of crap. The orchestra of course did manage to come up w. the inst., but being a straight, wooden model it did not have the low C extension I asked for. Oh well.
>5.One octocontraalto made for Lalo Schifrin for his theme music for the 1960s television series (not the film) 'Mission >Impossible'. This is a straight instument (imagine the height!) not made by Leblanc (by who?). Played by Lucien Caillet, but >should now be in the collection of instruments of former musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra. (Information on nos.3-5 >from Francis Firth and Tom Izzo).
>
>Does anyone live near Philadelphia, or can anyone check out this last information?I'm in Phila., but I confess I've never heard of this collection. Do you have any info about it?
--
Andrew Stiller
Kallisti Music Presshttp://www.netcom.com/~kallisti
Ut Sol inter planetas, Ita MUSICA inter Artes liberales in medio radiat.
--Heinrich Schuetz, 1640
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