Prom 50 (20.8.12): Beethoven, Mozart, Delius & Nielsen

[Vandoren]

It was a basset clarinet, not a basset horn, big difference. The basset clarinet is just a normal Bb or in this case A clarinet with an extension down to written low C, whereas the Bassett horn is pitched in F, also going down to written low C. If you want to hear it I suggest the serenade K361 or the lovely aria Non piu di fiori from Clemenza which has a basset horn obbligato. The Bb basset clarinet also has an obbligato in Clemenza, Parto parto, but you will have to search to find a recording which is not played on the normal unextended clarinet.

[french frank]

Welcome, Vandoren. Whole interesting discussion to be had here on the relationship between the two instruments and the Mozart concerto. Does Michael Collins ever play the basset horn?

[Tony Halstead]

It was a basset clarinet, not a basset horn, big difference. The basset clarinet is just a normal Bb or in this case A clarinet with an extension down to written low C, whereas the Bassett horn is pitched in F, also going down to written low C. If you want to hear it I suggest the serenade K361 or the lovely aria Non piu di fiori from Clemenza which has a basset horn obbligato. The Bb basset clarinet also has an obbligato in Clemenza, Parto parto, but you will have to search to find a recording which is not played on the normal unextended clarinet.

The Academy of Ancient Music
Christopher Hogwood
Soloists incl. Bartoli, Bonney, Montague.
Basset clarinet (modern copy of H. Grenser) played by Lesley Schatzberger