MENC: The National Association for Music Education
The Clarinet Choir
Author(s): Richard K. Weerts
Reviewed work(s):
Source: Journal of Research in Music Education, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Autumn, 1964), pp. 227-230
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for Music Education
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The ClarinetChoir
RIiCHARDE. WEERTS
most basic form the clarinet
choir can consist of three Bb sopranos,one alto, and one bass. Ihis
combinationcan be expanded to a
more fully balancedchoir comprised
of three first Bb sopranos(one player
to double on the Eb sopranino),
threeseconds,threethirds,threealtos,
three basses, one Bb contrabass,and
one Eb contrabass. In the latter combination the clarinetchoir can function in a mannernot unlikethe string
section of a symphonyorchestra. A
comprominentclarinetmanufacturing
pany claims, "Every nuance of light
andshadefromthe darknessanddepth
of the lowest tones of the contrabass
clarinetsto the sparklingbrightnessof
the altissimo registerof the soprano
clarinetscan be used with equal facility by an arrangeror composer.''l
Importanceof the Eb Sopraninoand
ContrabassVoices.-Compositionsand
for the clarinetchoirare
arrangements
to be found in widely differingcombinationsrangingfrom three Bb sopranos,one alto, and one bass clarinet
to the full choir beginningwith the
octave Ab (sometimesreferredto as
piccoloclarinet)and extendingthrough
the contrabass.Whilethe workswhich
employ merely the Bb sopranos,alto
and bass are probablypracticalat the
secondarylevel, an effect is definitely
lost withoutthe use of at least the Eb
sopraninoand the Bb or Eb contrabassclarinets.The modernEb sopranIN ITS
ino clarinethas beengreatlyimproved
over those of the past and shouldassumean importantrolein the balanced
clarinetchoir. It should be assigned
to an excellentplayer.2 The contrabass tone is equallyvital to the full,
organ-likesoundof the balancedclarinet choir. Reed states, "It has been
conclusively demonstratedthat, all
other conditionsbeing equal, the two
outsidevoicesof any groupof tonesor
lines will be the ones most readily
perceivedby the listeningear;"3and
further: "The strong overtonesproducedby the lowestinstrumentsin the
band and orchestra,actuallyreinforce
the tones of the middleand higherinstrumentsplaying the up}er notes of
the chord.'t4
He concludesthat "the resultof all
this is a powerful,rich,sonoroustone,
servingas the absolutefoundationof
the musicerectedaboveit."5
CtarinetChoirs of tSe Past. The
interest in this particular type of
woodwind ensemble appears to be
growing. Major factorsrelatedto its
growth would seem to include the
availabilityand improvementof contrabassclarinetsas well as the technical versatilityand euphonicsoundof
the clarinetchoir. It shouldbe noted,
however,that this is a revival of inLucien Cailliet, TJweChnnet and Clarinet
G. Leblanc Corporation,
1955), p. 2.
3 Alfred Reed, The BalancedClarinetChoir
(Eenosha: G. Leblanc Corporation, 1955), p.
2
Choir (llenosha:
6.
1 "The CompleteClarinetFamily,"The Leblanc Bandsman, (February,l9SS), p. 6.
227
{Ibd., p. 7.
5 Reed, loc. Cit.
228
JOURNALOF RESMRCE m SIC
EDUCASON
terestin a grouppreviouslyhighlydb compositions
writtenespeciallyfor this
velo}ed ratherthan an innovationon group. The publicas well as the New
the Amencanmusicalscene.
York press gave enthusiasticsupport
Probably the earliest work done to thisensemblewhereverit appeared.7
with the clarinetchoir in the United
Repertoirefor the ModernClarinet
Stateswas begunin 1927 by the late Choir. Fortunately,the
literaturebeSimeonBellison. Mr. Bellison,it will ing composedand arranged
for the
be remembered,
held the distinctionof clarinetchoir seems to be increasing
being the first clarinetistof the New bothin quantityandquality.
At presYork Ph ilharmon ic Orchestrafor ent t.hereis much
fine material to
twenty-eightyears ( 1920-1948) . He is choosefromfor choirsof all sizes
and
also remembered
for his numerousar- at all levels of development.8Recent
rangementsand revisionsof musicfor innovationsinclude the addition
of
the clarinet,and the few recordings
he solo woodwind instruments,French
madehave long beencollector'sitems. horn,and voicewith clarinet
choiracMr. Bellison'sfirst clarinetchoircon- companiment.It is to be
hopedthat
sistedof fourBb clarinets,two basset- the repertoirewill continueto
grow.
horns, and two bass clarinets. By Thereis a definiteneed for more
ex1929 this grouphad grownto include cellent originalcompositions
and arssteen members.
rangementsif the interestin this enThe choirwas greatlyeppandedin sembleis to continueto develop
and
1929afterthe Committeeon Ensemble expand.
Musical Trainingof the New York
Publications
for ClarinetChoir.Philharmonic
SymphonySocietybegan It is hoped
that
this gradedlist o'
to gisrescholarships
to the mostgifted available
publications
will be helpfu}
musicalchildrenof the New Yorkpubto those interested in the clarinet
lic schools. By 1948 Mr. Bellison's
choir. It should be noted that the
"clarinetensemble,"as he referredto
it, had grownto seventy-fivemembers gradingis arbitraryand intendedonly
to give a generalidea regardingthe
includingthe followinginstrumentatechnicaldifEcultyof this literature.
tion:6Ab piccoloclarinet,Eb sopran- The
gradingrangesfromgradeI (very
inoclarinet,Bb sopranoclarinet,baseasy) to gradeVI (very difficult).
set-hornin F, Eb alto clarinet,bass
GradeI
clarinet,and Bb contrabassclarinet.
TheAb piccoloclarinetandthe basset- Brahms-DeJesu,CradleSong (White-Smith).
hornin F are not commonin most Humperdinck-DeJesu,Hansel and Gretel,
"Prayer"(Hal Leonard).
presentday clarinetchoirs. The only Organn,
Thc Brook (Rebo). Bassoon solo
othermstrumentswhichMr. Bellison with clantletchoir.
added"for coloring"were a concer- Pal"a-Conley,Adoram?sTe tdor).
tina, a harp, two tmmpets (which
GradeII
playedmutedouly), and tympani.
Bach-Cailliet,AWak6, Awake, A Vou u
The repertoire
of this rathergigantic CaUing(Leblc). Chorale.
chrinetensemblecombinedorchestral Bach-Howland,O SacredHead (Interlocher
worksof symphonicdimensionswith Press). Chorale.
Minuetto (White-Smith).
chamber
musicworksarrangedby Mr. Bocchenni-DeJesu,
Byrd-Howland,
Pavan-Gallivrd
(Rebo).
Bellison.To thesewereaddedoriginal
Simeon Bellison, The Clarsnet Ensemble
(NewYorlc: Simeon Bellison, 1945), p. 4.
6
f Bellison,toc. cit.
8See ClarinetChoirLiverature
(Kenosha:G.
Leblanc
Corporation,
1962).
THE CLARINETClIOR
229
Mozart-Saca,Quintetin G Minor (Kendor).
Organn,Maulawiyah (Rebo).
Osterling, Study in Lavender (Southern
Music).
Reed-McCathren,Clannct Valsantc (lRendor).
Rodgers and Hart-Cable, Pal Jocy, "BeGrade lIl
witched" (Chappell and Co., Inc.).
XXll (Kendor).
Bach-Fote,Pracl/l4dium
Saint-Saens-Cailliet,Romance in F (LeBach-Howland,Three Baroque Dances
blanc). French horn or alto sax and clar.
(Rebo).
inet choir.
Barnes,C. P., Robbins CoUectionof Classics Schwarz,Capriccio(Rubank).
for BalancedClarinetChoir (Big 3 Music Tchaikovsky-Conley,Humoreshc (Kendor).
Corporation).GradesIII-VI. These ar- Tchaikovsky-Sacci,Stnng Quartet,"Andante
are scoredfor Eb sopranino, Cantabile"(Kendor).
rangements
Franck-DeJesu,Panis Angelicus (Chas.
Colin)
Berceuse (Chas.Colin).
Jarnefelt-Roach,
To a Wild Rose (Hal
McDowell-DeJesu,
Leonard).
Tratmerei (Chas.Colin).
Schumann-Lang,
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Bb clarinets,Eb alto,
Gradc V
Bb bass and/or Bb contrabass,and Eb
Bach-Yoder,Bach Suite (Leblanc).
clarinets.
contrabass
(Le- Barat-Roach,Piece en Sol Mineur (Leblanc).
L'Arlesienne,"Adagietto"
Bizet-Cailliet,
Solo clarinetand clarinetchoir.
blanc).
Concerto Grosso, "Larghetto"Betton-McCathren,Kerry Dance (SummyHandel-Sacci,
Birchard).
.
(Kendor)
Boellmann-Casteel,Suitc Gothiquc (LebSerenade (Hal Leonard).
Haydn-DeJesu,
lanc).
Praeludium (Chas.Colin).
Jarnefelt-Roach,
Divert.imento#8 (Rebo). Bolzoni-Pardee,Minuetto in Bb (Rendor).
Mozart-Dominik,
Cailliet,Capnce Sentimental(Leblanc). Solo
Organn,Divertimento (Rebo).
Bb clarinetand clarinet choir.
Organn,Overturefor Woodwinds(Rebo).
Evans-Jarcho,Lady of Spain (Sam Fot).
Organn,Suite Petite (Rebo).
Vowman,Clannet Ckoir Repertoire (Ru- Martini-Maganini,Plaisir d'Amour (Edition
bank). GradesIII-V. Thesearrangements Musicus).
are scoredfor 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or alto, Mozart-Cailliet,Marriageof Figaro, "Overture" (Leblanc).
andbassclarinets.
Mozart-Howland,Adagio, K. 411 (Rebo).
Grade IV
Ravel-Hite, Pavanc (SouthernMusic).
Largo Appassionata(Hal Rimsky-Korsakov-Cailliet,Flight of thc
Beethoven-DeJesu,
.
Leonard)
Bumble Bee (Leblanc). Alto sancophone
Deep River (Summy- solo with clarinetchoir.
Betton-McCathren,
.
Birchard)
Rimsky-Korsakov-Roach,Danse Des BoufCable,Red Rosey Bush (Chappelland Co.,
fons (Leblanc).
Inc.).
Schubert-Sacci, String Octet, Opus 166
Cable,Wind Song (Chappelland Co.,I^c.).
"Scherzo"(Kendor).
Vieille Chanson (Leblanc). Tchaikovsky-Cailliet,Violin Concerto,"CanClerisse-Roach,
DeJesu, (arr.) Turkey in the Straw (Hal
zonetta" (Leblanc). Alto sasophone and
.
Leonard)
clarinetchoir.
Haydn-R. Hindsley, Divertimento #1 Verdi-DeJesu, "Prelude to Trata" (Hal
(SouthernMusic).
Leonard).
K]auss,Song for Twilight (Pro Art).
Gradc F1
lSullabyfor an Eb ClanKlauss-McCathren,
Oratono, "SinChnstmas
Bach-Howland,
net (Kendor).
Sonatina #1, "Rondo" fonia" (InterlochenPress).
IZuhlau-Orgamn,
Stnng Quartet, Opus 18,
Beethoven-NVilson,
(Rebo).
#1 "AllegroCon Brio" (CarI Fischer).
(Rebo).
Sonatina,"Allegro"
Kuhlau-Organn,
Cailliet, Carnaval (Leblanc). With percusAngelus (Leblanc).
Massenet-Cailliet,
sion.
Song Without Words
Mendelssohn-DeJesu,
Cailliet, Clannet Poem (Leblanc).
.
(White-Smith)
lialian Symphony,"An- Cailliet, Fantaisic (Leblanc).
Mendelssohn-Logan,
Debussy-Howland, Petite Suite, "Minuet,"
dante"(Hal Leonard).
Mozart-Sacci,E;ne Kleinc Nachtmuszk, "Cortege.""En Bateau," "Ballet" (Interlochen Press).
(lZenddr).
"Menuetto"
h
230
JOURNAL OF ESEARCH IN MUSIC EDUCAtION
Mendels6ohn-Howland,
Symphony#4, "Sal- Presser,ChoralFantasy (Leblanc).
tarello' (InterlochenPress).
Tchaikovsky-Cailliet,Violin Concerto, '{FiMozart-Howland,ImpresarioOverture (Innale" (Leblanc). Solo clannetand clarinet
terlochenPress).
choir.
NortheastMissoun State TeachersCollege,Kirksville
Addressesof Pgblishers
Big 3 Music Corporatior
Carl Fischer,Inc.
ChappeIland Co., Inc.
CharlesColin
Edition Musicus
Hal Leonard
InterlochenPress
Kendor,Inc.
LeblancMusic Publications
Pro Art Publications
Rebo Music Company
Rubank,Inc.
Sam Fow Music PublishingCompany
SouthernMusic Company
Summy-BirchardCo.
White-Smith
1540 Broadway,New York City 36, N. Y.
62 CooperSquare,New York City 31N. Y.
609 Fifth Avenue,New York City 17, N. Y.
315 W. 53rd Street, New York City, N. Y.
333 W. 52nd Street,New York City l9, N. Y.
64 E. 2nd Street,Winona,Minnesota
Interlochen,Michigan
Delevan,New York
Kenosha,Wlsconsm
469 Union Avenue, WestburyyNew York
842 South Fraxlklin,Denver, Colorado
5544 W. ArmstrongAve., Chicago46, Illinois
ll W. 60th Street,New York City, 23, N.
1100Broadway,Boa:329, San Antonio6, Texas
1834 Ridge AvPenue,
Evanston,Illinois
c/o Edwin H. Morris& Co., Inc.
31 W. 54th Street, New York City, N. Y.
ir.