Just for the record, the excerpt in particular which I was trying to input was from the Stravinsky Rite of Spring. So, I'm on the end of being a performer, where I sort out what a composer wanted, not composing something.
I will say that the easiest way to write bass clarinet parts, which most people are going to understand and play, will be to write in treble clef(sounding a major 9th below what is written). You will get the broadest spectrum of players and levels, band or orchestral, this way. Specifically for orchestral bass clarinet players, we learn to expect to see a LOT more than just that. It is the type of thing which teachers and colleagues warn us about. I really think there are "levels" of learning what is out there: 1) Learn to read treble clef 2) Learn to read bass clef (usually by attempting the Bach Cello Sonatas, since those are in a good range) 3) Work on being able to transpose for Bass clarinet in A (Tchaikovsky Nutcracker) 4) Learn to read bass clef in A (found in Wagner opera) The reason there are so many variations comes from the compositions and the instruments which were used in the orchestra over 100 years ago. Bass clarinets in the key of A did exist and were used by Wagner, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky, among others. Today, these instruments are rare, and composers are safe writing for Bass clarinet in B-flat. Music publishers haven't provided transposed parts for everything, so it falls on the player to learn to transpose on sight, or write things out. Playing the A transposition can be very confusing in pieces like Ravel La Valse, since it moves between A and B-flat bass clarinet often, and with the difficult key signatures, fast notes, etc., bass clarinetists usually write out their own transposed part in B-flat entirely. Even simple bass clef and be confusing if you are dealing with French vs. German notation. In the German notation system, composers would write bass clef normally with any treble clef notes played up an octave. Alas, Paul Dukas wrote the Sorcerer's Apprentice using the German notation. Yes, this is confusing, but by thinking in terms of the continuity of line a player can figure it out. In a perfect world where composers have no deadlines, and time isn't of the utmost, I'd suggest speaking with your bass clarinetist to find out his/her level of comfort. Composers should also find out the low range of the player's instrument: some go to low C, whereas most only go to low E-flat (written pitches). Hopefully this is a useful topic for composers, not just people on the Klarinet listserv, Chris _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
