> (iii) AND THAT IS MY MAJOR POINT: the notation rules are VERY different > for the various groups of instruments: while > * the various clarinets (as well as e.g. the oboe d'amore and da > caccia) are written in completely transposed notation: in a c > minor piece a "clarinet in b flat" e.g. would see a signature > of 1 flat, > * the brass family (trumpets, french horns etc.) are transposed > in a similar way, but NEVER see any signatures at all; all the > necessary accidentals are spelled out explicitly with the > individual notes! > This is the case at least in classical music; I don't know > about jazz nor about saxophones ...
This is an oversimplification. If it is transposed it is transposed. If a piece is in Eb and the trumpet/horn parts are for Eb trumpets/horns then they won't see a key signature because they are in C. What I'm about to say is likely also an oversimplification as well, but less so. Trumpet and horn parts written before the widespread use of valves were written, in effect, for bugles. The key of the instrument to be used was indicated on the part. Naturally, these parts would appear to be in C for the player (plus accidentals). To change key, the player had to change the 'crook' which was a removable loop of tubing which was the correct length for a given key. Once valves came to be the rule rather than the exception things changed. Trumpet parts in particular become more complex and melodic (compare a Mahler trumpet part with a Beetoven trumpet part). For pieces written after the Romantic period it is much simpler. Trumpet parts are transposed completely but the "key" of the trumpet is indicated on the part (Trumpet in C, Trumpet in Bb, Trumpet in D etc.). Also, a player may prefer to play C trumpet most of the time and simply transpose a Bb part in his head and play it on a C trumpet. This is one of the things modern trumpeters have to know how to do, and it is how they deal with the older orchestral literature written for different keys of trumpet. It is common for modern players to play a 'Trumpet in A' part on a C rather than a Bb instrument as it is easier for them to transpose to the next line or space than by a half-step. Modern horn parts are generally written for the F Horn. That is, they sound a fifth lower than written (or read a fifth higher than sounding). Horn players have the same transposition duties as trumpeters when it comes to Romantic, and earlier, literature (perhaps some later material as well). Trombones: Sound as written. This goes for Bb tenor trombones, Eb Alto trombones, or contrabass trombones in F, Eb, or BBb. The one exception is treble clef trombone parts in British Brass Band music which is transposed and sounds a major ninth lower than written (like tenor saxophone and bass clarinet). Euphonium/Baritone/Tenor Tuba: When written in bass clef it sounds as written. When written in treble clef it sounds a major ninth lower. Some Richard Strauss pieces (Ein Heldenleben, Don Quixote) have parts written in Bb bass clef so that the part sounds a step lower than written in bass clef, but this is the exception. NB-tromobnes and Euphs/Bars/Ten Tubas: The trombone that people think of as a regular trombone is in Bb as is the Euphonium. The posting regarding the scales for four instruments mentioned "trombone in C". This is both right and wrong at the same time. The instrument is in Bb. Its fundamental note is Bb with the slide closed but the player thinks of this note as Bb and not C. Tubas: Sound as written. Tubas commonly exist in BBb, CC, Eb, and F but they all sound as written. The tubists learn different fingerings for each instrument. *************************** Saxophones and jazz notation: Saxophones are all transposed. Bb soprano sounds a step lower than written (like Bb clarinet). Eb alto sound a maj. sixth lower than written (like alto clarinet). Bb tenor sounds a maj. ninth lower than written (like bass clarinet). Eb baritone sounds an octave and a maj. sixth lower than written (like contralto clarinet). Trumpet is assumed to be in Bb and is transposed to sound a step lower than written. Trombones sound as written. ***************************** > (ii) You DO want to use the professional (!) notation with transposing > instruments, not because of the copyists of Mozarts times, but > because of the practical communication between conductor and > orchestra: says the conductor to the horn player: "take that D in > bar 145 piano, not forte" --- which D, the written note, or the > sound ??? (and to do away with any transposed notation at all, > even in the parts, wont do because players would have to relearn > their fingering completely!), The musicians know what note they're sounding. When dealing with the conductor it is simply a matter of adding the word "sounding" or "written". Scores exist in both forms. Some have all instruments' parts as they appear and others are all in C. The conductor should know which he has in front of him. But this whole discussion is how to deal with it in PMX. Finale, for example, has the ability to render a score on-screen in C and you can assign each part a transposition for the parts. This is handy if you use MIDI input to speed things along as this is all in C. PMX is itself a speed-up for TeX input so this is not as relevant as it might otherwise be. To me there are two choices. You have a score with all the parts transposed as the players see them, or you have a score in C and the players see transposed parts. The first one is easy. Each part gets its own key. The second solution would require scor2prt to do something with each part. Regards, David Bobroff _______________________________________________ TeX-music mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://sunsite.dk/mailman/listinfo/tex-music
