I passed the question on to the Bandchat list, asking what directors found actually printed in scores and parts. The following replies are instructive.
******************* >A question has been raised on the Finale List regarding whether to notate >an Eb contra-alto clarinet part in bass clef at concert pitch, or in treble >clef as an Eb transposing instrument. > >My questions here are, how are the parts notated in published works for >band or wind ensemble, and at the high school level do Eb contra players >spend most of their time reading from tuba parts? When Eb Contra-Alto Clarinet parts are available with the score, they have always been (from my experience) published in transposed treble clef. Players only use tuba parts when they are not available. You might think that the parts are rare, given the relative rarity of the instrument. However, I had treble clef transposed Eb contra-alto clarinet parts for almost every work I performed last year. Andy ********************* << My questions here are, how are the parts notated in published works for band or wind ensemble, and at the high school level do Eb contra players spend most of their time reading from tuba parts? >> As the low-reed doubler in one of the military bands in DC, I had for a while the distinction of probably being the highest paid contra-alto clarinet player in the world. All the parts published for the contra-alto I saw were in treble clef, treating it just like a bari sax. From doing clinics with high school players, if there were no contra parts, I usually saw them with bari sax parts rather than tuba parts. A few high school players were able to personally adapt tuba parts, but I wonder whether some band directors were even aware this was a possibility. *********************** The few band scores I have seen which have had contra-alto and contra-bass clarinets included have them written in treble clef, transposed just like their octave-higher name-sakes. But of course the sounding pitches are an extra octave lower. David H. Bailey ********************** Regarding the scoring of the Eb Contra-Alto it would typically by seen in the score and on the parts in treble clef. Much, but not all, of the use of instruments being pitched in various keys is to allow a player to switch readily, say from clarinet to bass clarinet to contra, without having to learn new fingerings and to keep the notes on the staff (predominantly). If one is working on a score, however, he/she might want to work with the contra parts in bass clef to maintain a solid perspective of where one is in the tonal range. I know Finale will allow you to work in concert pitch and then transpose "at the touch of a button". I am not sure that it would transfer a bass clef part to treble, however. As far as using bari sax or tuba parts as substitutes in actual practice when a part does not exist, I have done both. Often the decision is dictated by the instrumentation and strength of other parts. Strong tubas and weak bari sax or the other way around? Teaching a student to read Eb parts from a bass clef tuba part is a very simple task. They only need to be warned and reminded from time to time about the key signature and occasional displacement(?) of the octave. Mention was made of a Finale chat line? How do I get involved in that? I have some real questions. David Seiberling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ************************ Back to me. Could someone contact David and give him the subscription information? Since everything got screwed up in the changeover to Mailman, I don't trust myself to have accurate information. Thanks! John John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
