What are people using to substitute when a score calls for a Basset Horn?
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What, no Basset Horn?
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By this do you mean a bass oboe - in which case why not just stretch the oboe down in the Giga Editor (assuming your using GigaStudio) - It's not ideal but I've done it for the tuba which doesn't go low or high enough.
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So someone explain to this poor misinformed soul what the difference between a Bassetts Allsorts Horn with floppy ears is and a bass clarinet.
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It would be terrible to replace bassett horn (alto clarinet) with bass clarinet. The tone is completely different in character. The bassett horn (two of them) is one of the main things that makes the Bflat Mozart divertimento sound so full and resonant.
The only samples I know of are on X-sample which are fairly good but very limited in size/articulations.
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@William said:
It would be terrible to replace bassett horn (alto clarinet) with bass clarinet. The tone is completely different in character. The bassett horn (two of them) is one of the main things that makes the Bflat Mozart divertimento sound so full and resonant.
So that begs the question...why doesn't VSL have any Basset Horn samples?
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@William said:
It would be terrible to replace bassett horn (alto clarinet) with bass clarinet. The tone is completely different in character. The bassett horn (two of them) is one of the main things that makes the Bflat Mozart divertimento sound so full and resonant.
So that begs the question...why doesn't VSL have any Basset Horn samples?
Hear hear! I'd love to have the chance of playing the B flat divertimento myself...
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@William said:
It would be terrible to replace bassett horn (alto clarinet) with bass clarinet. The tone is completely different in character. The bassett horn (two of them) is one of the main things that makes the Bflat Mozart divertimento sound so full and resonant.
The only samples I know of are on X-sample which are fairly good but very limited in size/articulations.
Hmmm! So why would an alto clarinet and a bass clarinet playing the same part have a completely different sound? What is the difference in the sound? presumably therefore the Basset Horn doesn't sound like a clarinet at all.
Do you have the Basset horn samples William? and can you post a comparison?
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Unless I am mistaken...easily possible..the basset horn and alto clarinet are not the same instrument. I think the alto clarinet is in Eb and the basset horn in F. It was notably written for the opening of Mozart Requiem I think, although, commonly these days these parts are played on modern clarinets. Having had the opportunity to work with clarinettists that also specialise in Basset Horn, they all say that it is a pig of an instrument to play in tune, and they can be a bit skittish in the hands of a less than true dedicated professional basset hornist. I guess this is common with many period instruments.
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I promise to take the appropriate precautions before making such dangerous definitive statements in the future! Having made the dangerous move, and your advisory, I went looking for definitive information that was less dangerous. Notwithstanding, they are still different instruments, one in F and the other in Eb. In fact you can buy a Basset, bassett or bassette clarinet or horn in A as well, made by Buffet Crampon. So, dangerously enough or otherwise, the Bassett horn is still an instrument in it's own right, and if a piece of music is written for it, and people have enough money to employ those specialists well geared up enough to own one, they can have it instead of the completely seperate and probably proud of it Eb alto clarinet. And of course, they will all sound slightly different to each other.
For more current information.. www.selmer.fr/images/pdf/famclareng.pdf
Do you also consider the C melody tenor saxophone the same as the Bb tenor saxophone? Or the Oboe d'amore, and cor anglais....be careful...dangers lurk round every corner.