Contrabass Digest

2000-11-18

From: Opusnandy
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 21:22:35 EST
Subject: Re: [CB] Heckelphone ?
 

In a message dated 11/17/00 1:29:08 PM, gdgreen writes:

<< The reed resembles a small bassoon reed, >>

I would like to take issue with this one item of heckelphoniana, in fact,
this is probably the first and only thing I've disagreed with to come from
Grant.  I had read in many places that the heckelphone reed is "the size of
the smallest of bassoon reeds" so when I was lucky enough to acquire my
heckelphone, I used the smallest of my bassoon reeds on it (with some
adjustment to compensate for the wider bore on the bocal).  The results were
decent, but the low register was very difficult.  I thought this was just the
nature of the instrument.  Then, last summer, I noticed that Jack Spratt sold
Heckelphone reeds in his catalog and decided to order some.  Jack said I was
the first to ever order them from him and sent me all that he had (the reeds
are actually made by Glotin in France, not by Jack).  The reeds came, and
they are actually quite larger than any bassoon reed.  And the results are
great!  The low register is beautiful and big and very easy to play.  In
fact, the whole instrument sounds great with them.  So, you migght want to
ammend the part about the small reeds.  Sorry to be so picky, but, come on,
it's heckelphones we're taling about!

Jon Carreira
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 18:15:33 -0700
From: Grant Green
Subject: [CB] Heckelphone Renaissance!
 

Peter's article "Renaissance for Heckelphone" is now posted and
linked to the Heckelphone page.  You can link directly to it at
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/renaissance.html.  The Heckelphone
repertoire list is also posted (boy, did *that* take a while to
format!), at http://www.contrabass.com/pages/heckel-rep.html, and
linked to both pages.

Comments, correction, and suggestions are welcome.

Enjoy!

Grant

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green
ecode:contrabass       http://www.contrabass.com
Professional Fool -> http://www.mp3.com/ProFools
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 22:48:28 -0800
From: bitwise
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]

Some of you may remember that I'm attempting to restore a
Coudet bass clarinet (wood, c. early 1940's). The major hurdle
in this effort is a missing Eb trill key. I recently purchased a horn
that is almost identical to the Coudet. Little is known about it
(bought it online and haven't seen it yet), but I see from the
pictures provided by the seller that it goes to E, not Eb. The low
E key is on the bell. Has anyone heard of bass clarinets that go
to low E rather than Eb? I'm about 90% sure it is a bass.

Another question: I have a Bundy 1440 contra-alto, and need
some sort of stand. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

By the way, no news on the PVC project - still active, though.

Regards,
Craig Durham

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Tom Izzo"
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 01:57:05 -0600
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]

. Has anyone heard of bass clarinets that go
> to low E rather than Eb?

Yes. Many pre-war Clarinets(Alto & Bass) went only to E. Conversely,
I have a colleague who also has a Bb Soprano Clarinet with a low Eb, too, so
many variations have existed. Not all Bari's have the low A, & some Alto
SAxes DO have a low A.

Tom
 

---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 14:00:07 -0800
From: Andrew Stiller
Subject: Re: [CB] [Contra Digest]

At 1:57 AM -0600 11/18/00, Tom Izzo wrote:
>I have a colleague who also has a Bb Soprano Clarinet with a low Eb, too, so
>many variations have existed.

My own BbCl is of this type. Such models are referred to as "full
Boehm" clarinets. In addition to the low Eb key, they have an
alternate (LH) low Ab/Eb key, an articulated C#/G# to ease the B-C#
and F#-G# trills, and a ring for the third LH finger so that Eb/Bb
can be played with an LH fork fingering.

These models remain a minority taste because most players regard the
extra mechanism as more trouble (in terms of adjustments and repair)
than it is worth.

--
Andrew Stiller
Kallisti Music Press

http://www.netcom.com/~kallisti

Ut Sol inter planetas, Ita MUSICA inter Artes liberales in medio radiat.
--Heinrich Schuetz, 1640
---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Bret Newton"
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 17:16:31 CST
Subject: [CB] Bass oboe/Heckelphone

If I may, I would like to add a couple of compositions to the list of
compositions for bass oboe and heckelphone.

Havergal Brian:

Symphonies 1 & 4

(Both scores indicate bass oboe)
Hope this helps,
Bret Newton

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