We want Bass Clarinet as a COLOR, not a SOUND: Lincolnshire Posy Excerpt

[@kingssingers]

I got to play a concert under Frederick Fennell in college - got called up from the lower band to play contrabass clarinet in the St. Olaf Band - it was a stunning experience! And when I studied conducting later on, I learned to conduct the 5th movement of the Posy from Tim Mahr who learned from Mity Johnson who learned from Fred Fennell who learned from Percy Grainger.

[@Zephyrys]

A fellow Ole and Ole Band member! :D I *just* missed the year that Fennell came to school, but the low reeds in that band were remarkable. I sat over in the clarinet section. What a fun experience that must have been.

[@kingssingers]

@@Zephyrys It was fantastic! Cemented my desire to audition for Ole Band and not spend any more time lingering in Norseman. I can't remember much of the program (32 years ago and all), but I do remember playing another Grainger piece - The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart - with Ferg on organ. The band room is such a very special place for so many people, and I am immensely blessed to have had that experience.

[@dairyair6634]

Yes! This concept is also important in chamber music. With regard to Lincolnshire Posy, the ALTO clarinet has exposure, such as version B of Rufford Park Poachers and The Lost Lady Found movements. I know y'all like to hate on the alto clarinet. It really is a versatile instrument.

[@nglchff]

OMG! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I played the E-flat part for intercollegiate band back in 1987. I truly wanted the four of us to go off to a room to practice this, but the director didn't allow us that opportunity. Conductors, listen to the man! Both the opening and closing quartets will benefit greatly from spending time together, truly listening to one another.

[@tenor817]

Lincolnshire Posey is one of my all-time favorite pieces!! As a freshman in college, we played this piece on our Winter break tour. We also hosted a high school honor band clinician with Frederick Fennell in January '83. The day before it was to start, Dr. Fennell did a clinician with our Wind Ensemble. Wouldn't you know he worked the Grainger...and being the only bass clarinet, I was excited and terrified, lol.

[@donald627]

Great explanation and demonstration. Years of being a musician and playing both classical, jazz and marching bands during my college years, I must say I learned a lot here today. Thank you!

[@timothyhorton3459]

A few comments if I may: Thank you for this video; one of the very best compositions ever for wind ensemble. While in university I got to play all three you mentioned which validates your comment! Also thank you for your video on GRAND CANYON SUITE; just finished a performance of that and your video was very helpful in preparing the solos. Nathan: There are two versions in the original edition of RUFFORD PARK POACHERS: Version A has Bb clarinet paired with piccolo; version B has alto clarinet paired with piccolo. I also got to play under Frederick Fennell while in university; he conducted our wind ensemble at the 1983 MENC Conference in Pullman WA. I remember him being delighted that we had two Eb clarinets ready to go for HAMMERSMITH.

[@earspasm]

Yep -- aware of Version B, but the audition excerpts are for Version A...hence the requests for this video! Thanks for watching. (And I played under Fennell a bunch of times, too. What a genius he was, right?!)

[@mikemeskel]

I feel like this concept applies most of the time as a saxophone player in the wind ensemble. We often add color and are blending to other instruments. (Also, if love this piece, and especially love this particular movement)

[@rheamorales1329]

I got to play Music for Prague conducted by Karol Husa himself back in the mid-80s. Coolest experience ever! He was teaching at Ithaca at the time.

[@mjears]

I played Oboe & E.H. in a good H.S. wind ensemble, and we did Lincolnshire Posy a couple times (though not “Rufford Park Poachers”). We also did some Persichetti, who sometimes wrote this same kind of melody 2 or 3 octaves apart. We had a masterclass with Persichetti one day and I got to ask him about that, whether he considered them both “melody” or one was more of an overtone of the other, like 8' and 2' stops on a pipe organ. (He liked the question.) In that way I would expect the upper voice to have _less_ color than the lower and really mirror the phrasing of the lower. But I guess that is a lot harder to do than the other way around. Fabulous demonstration and explanation, as usual!

[@mrbigbean06]

Would you be interested in making a video about the 4th movement of Music For Prague? My band is playing it (we’re really diving into all the stuff about tone rows and such) and I’d love to hear what you have to say about the clarinet and bass clarinet parts in the beginning. The amount of work that Husa put into the piece is incredible. Love your videos!

[@earspasm]

Great idea. Can you send me the part? I don't have it. you can send it to [e-mail]

[@evertbirgersson6194]

Playing clarinet unison With a altosax.correctly blended you can't hear the clarinet. But then if you suddenly remove the clarinet. The sax sound naked, Thin and that something suddenly is missing. Any you all know what that is.

[@giganerd896]

Quick question: are you a Backun artist now? I've noticed that you've used your Q the last few videos and it sounds absolutely wonderful! If I hadn't just bought a bass clarinet, I would've gone for a Q!

[@quepassacarabassa]

wooow, I played this last year, amazing moment ^^

[@tromBoyer]

I played tuba in high school. But when we played Linc Posy, I had to double on bassoon in the 4th movement (Brisk Young Sailor). The judges threw a fit! “Did I just see the tuba player pick up bassoon?!” My 15 minutes…..

[@amandajohnson4485]

I know it is not what you meant, but my son has sound synesthesia, he said the bass clarinet is burnt orange ❤

[@pukalo]

Version A sounds so strange after being used to version B.

[@TheodoreBrown314]

Thanks for the brilliant video, Michael! I assume much of the same advice would also apply to the Bb Clarinet playing with the Piccolo, or to the Alto Clarinet and Bassoon if you're playing Version B?

[@nathanhol42001]

Wait. Why did I think the opening quartet of Rufford Park Poachers was piccolo and alto clarinet in canon with oboe and bassoon.

[@bassclarineric6173]

That’s because you’re thinking of version B, Michael is doing version A, which has a slightly different opening 😊

[@nathanhol42001]

@@bassclarineric6173 oooohhhhh I totally forgot there’s two versions

[@evansentnote]

My orchestration lesson for the day

[@mattdarling9450]

That's actually a 3 octave interval.

[@kingssingers]

@earspasm - what is your opinion of using basset horn instead of alto clarinet? That was our standard in college band as well as clarinet choir.

[@earspasm]

Decent option if you have a good instrument

[@tuesday1882]

what mouthpiece and reed setup are you using to get that sound? it sounds BEAUTIFUL

[@earspasm]

It's a Vandoren B50 with a V12 2.5 I believe.

[@tonyrod3332]

Tips on the section playing that immediately follows this excerpt?

[@earspasm]

...blend.

[@tonyrod3332]

Version B is the best

[@klezmertom]

"it's easier to do this without the conductor" Name a piece that isn't!

[@TheodoreBrown314]

The 5th movement of Lincolnshire Posy

[@earspasm]

LOL!

[@jean-paul7251]

Lincoln shyyierr 😂 Americans......!

[@Altoclarinets]

This is actually an alto clarinet excerpt. No I don't care about the other version. Thanks and goodbye