Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 2, No. 11 (1928-08)

The Phonograph Monthly Review 397 August, 1928 #w e - of this is that the pitch is an octave lower than that of the other wood-wind instruments of equal tube length. The sound is produced by the vibra- tion of the reed caused by the player’s breath and the pitch is controlled by breath pressure and by a key system which is rather complicated. The tone of the clarinet is capable of more vibration than that of any of the other wood-wind instru- ments. Its lowest notes are rich but rather hollow while its middle and higher notes are suave and possess a “feminine” quality. The clarinet is the most generally useful mem- ber of the wood-wind group and is used unspar- ingly both for melodic and harmonic purposes. An illustration of the different tones will be found in a short solo about the middle of the Scherzo in Tschaikowsky’s Fourth Symphony while the peculiar and distinctive warmth of its tone is demonstrated when the clarinet joins the oboe in a repetition of the opening melody in the second movement of Schubert’s Symphony in C major which is played first by the oboe alone. Clarinets of many different natural tunings are prescribed by the older composers but some of these are now obsolete. Those in A and C are used sometimes and in modern works the high pitched ones in D and E flat are occasionally pre- scribed and used. The principles of construction and method of playing are, however, the same as those of the B flat Clarinet. Other members of the same family are the Bassett Horn and the Bass Clarinet. The former is an alto instrument much used by Mozart and has been revived by Richard Strauss and a few others. The latter is of more recent origin and in appearance is like a large clarinet with an upturned bell made of metal and a mouthpiece which is curved rather like a snake. It is written for chiefly in its deeper register which resembles that of the B flat clarinet but is at once more im- pressive and softer. Its tones are easily rec- ognizable in the “Dance of Sugar-Plum Fairy” from Tschaikowsky’s “Casse Noisette Suite” (Eulenberg score, Victor records) and less easily in several places in “Siegfried’s Funeral March” from Wagner’s “Twilight of the Gods” (Phil, score, Victor record). The “Instruments of the Orchestra” records contain typical passages played by most of these instruments. Other records which illustrate the differences in tone between the members of the wood-wind group are those containing Grieg’s “Norwegian Dances” (Columbia), “Morning” from the same Composer’s first “Peer Gynt Suite” (Columbia and Victor) and the Dances from Borodine’s “Prince Igor” (Phil, score, Columbia records). The Brass T HE name given to this group of instruments is convenient but not strictly accurate as various metals are employed in their con- struction. The common factors between the vari- ous members of this group are that they are all made of metal and that the method of produc- ing the sound is similar throughout. The func- = ■. ■" i=Li!— H* tions of the reeds in the wood-wind instruments are performed in the brass instruments by the lips which, being supported by a cup, are made to vibrate by the forcing of the breath between them. The pitch of the notes produced is con- trolled partly by the degree of tightness with which the lips are pinched together and partly by a series of valves which are controlled by pistons and which have the effect of varying the length of the tube of the instrument by certain fixed amounts. These valves are a recent invention and the older composers were restricted to the comparatively small number of notes that it was possible to play by varying the tension of the lips alone. The most important instrument in this group is the Horn or French Horn. This has a tube about twelve feet along which is coiled in a circu- lar manner for convenience. The French horn is derived from the hunting horn and it is used frequently therefore to play calls such as that in the first bar of Weber’s “Oberon” Overture (Phil, score, Victor record) but its tone has such a great variety of quality and a wide range of power that it is put to all sorts of uses, both melodic and harmonic. Its singing tones, as heard in the opening melody of Schubert’s C. Major Symphony, or the first statement of the “Pilgrim’s Chorus” in “Tannhauser” Overture (Phil, score, Columbia and Victor records) are beautifully soft and tender but it can roar very loudly when required as in Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman” Overture (Phil, score, Columbia and Victor record.) The insertion of the hand or a mute (which is a conical piece of metal) into the flare or bell alters both the tone and the pitch. These con- trasts in tone can be distinguished in the ac- companiment to the long oboe solo which com- mences about one third of the way through “Don Juan” by Strauss. The normal complement of French horns in the orchestra is four and a beau- tiful example of the playing of the whole quartet is that at the beginning of Weber’s “Der Frei- schutz” Overture (Phil, score, Victor record.) The Trumpet is very similar in appearance to the cornet of the brass and military bands but has a more brilliant and refined tone. Its loud notes are very piercing and somewhat shrill. Classic examples of its use as a solo instrument are the opening bars of Wagner’s “Rienzi” Over- ture (Phil, score, Columbia and Victor records) and a passage in Beethoven’s “Leonora No. 3” Overture (Phil, score, Columbia records) which is reminiscent of the bugle calls used in the Army. A deeper toned relative is the Bass Trumpet but this is not yet a regular member of the or- chestra. Its tone can be heard in places in “Sieg- fried’s Funeral March” from Wagner’s “Twi- light of the Gods” particularly when it joins the horns and tubas in playing the “Siegfried motif” about the middle. The Trombone differs from the other brass instruments in that the pitch is controlled by a telescopic sliding mechanism instead of valves and pistons. The result is that any shade of pitch