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From: NINEWINDS
Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 19:39:35 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]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
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 17:50:57 -0700
From: Grant Green
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]>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 BeachHi 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".Enjoy!
Grant
---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 15:25:22 -0700
From: Grant Green
Subject: [CB] Repertoire!I've been browsing through (and pricing and ordering) the catalog of works by Terje Lerstad available through the Norwegian Music Information Centre. There are a few that may be of particular interest:
- 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.
- Opus 35: Polyphemo's Song. This is a 4' solo for contrabassoon (Score: NOK 30)
- Opus 98: Scherzo, Fantasy & Fugue. This is a 6' duet for contrabassoon and contrabass clarinet. (Score: NOK 30)
- Opus 113D: Adagio for Contrabass Clarinet and Clarinet Choir. 7' of just what it sounds like ;-) (Score: NOK 30)
- Opus 116: Clarinet Quartet No. 20. A 7' work for four bass clarinets. (Score: NOK 50)
- Opus 132: CONCERTO for piccolo flute and orchestra. The orchestra here is particularly interesting: in addition to the strings and percussion, it calls for descant (soprano) recorder + treble (alto) recorders, 2 English horns, D clarinet, A clarinet, bassett horn, contrabass + octocontrabass clarinet, tenor sax, 2 bassoons, 2 contrabassoons, trumpet in C, 2 flugel horns, 4 horns, and 4 trombones (no tuba?). Available with a piano reduction as well.
- Opus 135B: Wind Quintet No. 4 (Variations on a Renaissance Melody). This is scored for the standard woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, bassoon, horn) with a difference - contrabass clarinet instead of the soprano... (Score: NOK 110)
- Opus 139: DE PROFUNDIS (Psalm 130), scored for contralto voice, octocontrabass and octocontralto clarinets, echo box, tape, and string orchestra.
- Opus 144: Mirrors in Ebony. This work is written for clarinet choir, with parts for Ab sopranino down to Bb octocontrabass. (Score: NOK 130)
- Opus 151: Elise Onder de Olifant. "(freely after Beethoven for 6 hippopotamuses and 3 elephants). Written for Het Bassklarinetten Kollectief, a group in the Netherlands with 6 bass clarinets and 3 contrabass clarinets (leader Harry Sparnaay). A somewhat humorous treatment of Beethoven's 'Für Elise' for use in a radio program of the same name." (Score: NOK 30)
- Opus 183: Toccata for Contrabass Clarinet Solo. (Score: NOK 30)
A Norwegian music store (EDNA, http://www.edna.no/default-e.htm) handles the actual copying, vending, and delivery of scores. They charge 5 NOK per item handling (to a maximum of 50 NOK), plus postage. At the current exchange rate, 10 NOK (Norwegian Krone) is about US$1.07 (at least, according to Yahoo.com's currency exchange page, http://quote.yahoo.com/m3), so one can see that these scores are extremely reasonable :-)Now to see if I can dig up a few recordings...
Enjoy!
Grant
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Grant Green
ecode:contrabass http://www.contrabass.com
Professional Fool -> http://www.mp3.com/ProFools
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