Point well taken re: Tchaikovsky, but I've usually felt the reason for the bass-clar substitution for the bassoon solo (I'm guessing you reference the end-of-exposition sec of the first movement of the 'Pathetique' - clarinet solo descending and then picked up for the final four notes of the line by bassoon - pppppp) is one of timbre as much as volume. I find that substitution a little uncomfortable; Tchaikovsky knew exactly what he was doing - the movement begins with that bassoon solo and there's a nice bit of closure to the section by ending it with a (brief) bassoon exposure. If he had wanted the smooth continuation of clarinet timbre he would have written it. I really don't think Tchaikovsky was looking for a discernable px6 distinctly audible from a px5 or any other volume delineation; I think he was simply saying "HEY! Give me the softest, quietest, nearly inaudible sound you can produce!" I think it was his way of saying ABSOLUTELY the quietest of quietest.
Point taken, but as a professional bass clarinet player (a while ago) ppp was the least you were going to get
I agree with David, voodoo dynamics.
Phil Daley < AutoDesk >
http://www.conknet.com/~p_daley
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