Clarinets in the Rite of Spring
I am studying a miniature score of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (Dover Miniature Scores). For the clarinets, I see this in the instrumentation page:
Clarinetto piccolo (D, Es)
3 Clarinetti (B, A) (Cl. II = Cl. b. II)
Clarinetto basso (B) (= Cl. IV)
This appears to be Italian but with German notes.
Alongside, there is the English:
Small Clarinet (D, E?)
3 Clarinets (B?, A)(Cl. II = Bass Cl.II)
Bass Clarinet (B?) (= Cl. IV)
So, we need 5 players but the number of instruments is less clear. Using some invented names to make discussion easier.
Alice plays the small clarinets. She needs a D and an E?.
Bob plays only a standard clarinet. He needs an A and B?.
Carol mostly plays a standard clarinet but may be required to play a second bass. She needs an A, B? and a bass.
David, like Bob, plays only a standard clarinet. He needs an A and B?.
Elizabeth mostly pass the bass but may be called on to play 4th regular clarinet. She needs a bass and one or both of an A and B?.
It is Elizabeth's role that is least clear to me.
If I am correct, between them, there are:
1 D
1 E?
3 or 4 A
3 or 4 B?
2 bass
So, 10, 11, or 12 depending on the interpretation of Elizabeth's role.
I will examine the score in more detail later to try to find more clues.
Note that this question was originally combined with one on the bass clarinet notation. I have split them.
1 Comments
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The instrumentation page in the Dover score is incorrect. If you closely look at the score and the parts you will see:
Clarinet III plays Bass Clarinet II (and never plays A clarinet).
Bass Clarinet I plays only bass (there is no Clarinet IV).
So a total of nine instruments are needed.
E?, D
I. B?, A
II. B?, A
III. B?, bass
bass
Note: since D clarinets are quite rare, the player will very often transpose those parts for E-flat clarinet.
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