change clarinet in B flat to A

hello,

what is best to do in a composition (clarinet sonata): is it better within a movement to let the player change from B flat to A clarinet a couple of times when the key changes drastically, or is it better that you let him keep his intrsument but playing whit a lot of sharps or flats ? what do clarinet players prefer ?

kind regards,

geert

Depends on the work. For a solo piece I strongly advise you switch clarinets between movements. To do it in the midst of a movement will require too much time OR will be distracting. In orchestral and chamber music it isn't a problem for the player to switch instruments as long as sufficient time is given.

That said, if there are several thorny key changes either transpose the whole movement to a key that is easier for the player to read OR dispense with the key signature entirely.

Last, as I posted in another thread, B flat clarinets favor more soloistic, bravura writing as its tone is brighter and a little more brilliant than the A.

A fine example for study is Stravinsky's solo clarinet piece which he uses both A and B flat clarinets.

Depends on the work. For a solo piece I strongly advise you switch clarinets between movements. To do it in the midst of a movement will require too much time OR will be distracting. In orchestral and chamber music it isn't a problem for the player to switch instruments as long as sufficient time is given.

That said, if there are several thorny key changes either transpose the whole movement to a key that is easier for the player to read OR dispense with the key signature entirely.

Last, as I posted in another thread, B flat clarinets favor more soloistic, bravura writing as its tone is brighter and a little more brilliant than the A.

A fine example for study is Stravinsky's solo clarinet piece which he uses both A and B flat clarinets.

Thanks. So in a clarinet sonata with piano, switching to the other clarinet seems a good solution as long as the piano is playing and the clarinet player has enough time, right ?

I play the clarinet myself, so I know what I am talking about:

A clarinettist would rather have to play a lot of sharps/flats than change the clarinet during a piece(between movements or not). Changing in the middle of a piece to a cold instrument is extremely bad for intonation and can also affect the timbre. Sometimes it is necessary though, for example if there are a lot of technical demands that increase with the extra sharps/flats. Also, if the key signature changes for quite some time, I would seriously consider changing.

I play the clarinet myself, so I know what I am talking about:

A clarinettist would rather have to play a lot of sharps/flats than change the clarinet during a piece(between movements or not). Changing in the middle of a piece to a cold instrument is extremely bad for intonation and can also affect the timbre. Sometimes it is necessary though, for example if there are a lot of technical demands that increase with the extra sharps/flats. Also, if the key signature changes for quite some time, I would seriously consider changing.

Thanks a lot. With this opinion, for me the problem is solved: rather using the extra sharps or flats. It's a piece that is (not transposed) mostly in D flat major, and sometimes in E major. I don't want to change the key because it definitely sounds most beautiful as it is written now. Perhaps later when I cleaned up the score I will post it here.

Mahler - thanks for the insight. My experience is working with clarinet players. They haven't had intonation problems when switching clarinets BUT they prepared pieces for demonstration which required a change from A to B flat clarinet (as in the Stravinsky).

My question is - why would it be a problem to change instruments between movements, if the piece calls for it? If you practice the change would it avoid the intonation problems? Also, I was working with grad students of a very good conservatory so my experienced may be biased.

My question is - why would it be a problem to change instruments between movements, if the piece calls for it? If you practice the change would it avoid the intonation problems? Also, I was working with grad students of a very good conservatory so my experienced may be biased.

It is not a huge problem, it is just that a cold instrument will be significantly out of tune, and the player would then have to adjust his embouchure a lot to become in-tune with the rest of the ensamble. Of course, this isn't a problem in Stravinsky's three pieces because it's for solo clarinet.

The problem has nothing to do with the actual changing, simply that you can't tune the clarinet before you begin and expect it to remain in tune while you play on the other clarinet. It will get cold, becoming shorter, thus making it higher.

Also, the cold clarinet that you have changed to, will become warmer, and this will also affect the intonation, so you will gradually have to alter your embouchoure: not a very pleasant task if it can be avoided.

In orchestral music you have to change clarinets all the time, so you have to be able to cope with it, but as few changes as possible(considering technical difficulties) is always preferred.

Thanks mahler!

... use a plastic clarinet. Cold vs. warm affects them less than the wooden variety - even if not by that much.

The problem has nothing to do with the actual changing, simply that you can't tune the clarinet before you begin and expect it to remain in tune while you play on the other clarinet. It will get cold, becoming shorter, thus making it higher.

Also, the cold clarinet that you have changed to, will become warmer, and this will also affect the intonation, so you will gradually have to alter your embouchoure: not a very pleasant task if it can be avoided.

In orchestral music you have to change clarinets all the time, so you have to be able to cope with it, but as few changes as possible(considering technical difficulties) is always preferred.

Well, to an extent, you're right. If the clarinet is too warm or cold, it will play out of tune (by the way, when it gets cold, the pitch drops...). But usually performers will warm up and tune before practice and performances, so this is not an issue, even for the most basic clarinetist (the issue will more likely be in the piano being out of tune).

The problem for me, as a clarinetist, lies more in the slight differences in voicing between the A and the Bb. But again, it's a very small problem, if a problem at all.

The fact is you can do whatever you want with switching clarinets. Keep in mind though that not every student player will have an A, if that's your audience, and that (as it has been mentioned) the tone of the A is slightly darker. Also keep in mind that in most orchestral and chamber literature, switching clarinets is simply for easier key signatures; most of the time it's not for reasons of tone. And for more perspective, there are very few solo pieces that I've come across that call for changing between movements, let alone during them. But that doesn't mean you can't do it. If you think the situation warrants it, then go ahead.

But usually performers will warm up and tune before practice and performances, so this is not an issue, even for the most basic clarinetist (the issue will more likely be in the piano being out of tune). .

I disagree. Even though you both warm up and tune before the performance, unless the change occurs less than two minutes into the performance, the clarinet is going to get colder, and thus out of tune, which means that, in effect, the tuning before performance is only to minimize the variances in tuning which occur during the time when the clarinet cools. The clarinet will not remain in tune during the time when it is unplayed.

As a professional clarinetist...

...this is nonsense. A professional clarinetist will be able to change between the two clarinets as necessary, regardless of one being 'warm' or 'cold'.

A non-professional clarinetist most likely wouldn't have an A Clarinet in the first place.