Need Help Arranging for Clarinet, Eb Sax, Violin

evolving_doors

Hi hope anyone can help (Clarinettists, Saxists, or Violinists ahoy!)

Talking in terms of concert pitch here below.


So, I Have a string piece in F major (well kind of d minor with a few C sharps)

Basically I want to arrange the piece for Eb Alto Saxes + Bb Clarinets. I've heard a version on youtube that's transposed the same piece for strings from F to Eb for Baritone, Alto and Soprano Saxs..just curious as to why they'd do this.

On top of that there is a solo part played by the Sop Sax in the youtube version but I have to get a violin to play the solo part (as it's too difficult for the wind players)..

So 2 Questions basically:

1 Fingering wise are there certain keys that are easier to play on the Sax and Clarinet. For example Eb major rather than F major. Slow enough crotchets and minims.

2 Fingering wise are there certain keys that are easier to play on the Violin. It would be a lot of arpeggios (written for Fmajor for strings but going by the wind accomp. above would have to be played in Eb major.

Sinfonia

Why do you need to transpose to a different key?
Sax & Clarinet should have no problem playing in F Major, it's just that in notation, the music will be written differently for them.

evolving_doors

Thanks for the reply Sinfonia... I suppose I just assumed that because the Amstel Quartet had transposed it down a tone then they must have done it for some reason? Or else the composer just arranged it for winds himself in this key, I only have the piano/violin version.

Heres the video from youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hykf_FxRf_w

Heres an extract of the tune I have for piano/violin ( it appears at about 1:40 in the video)..

Arrange1.pdf .jpg

If the piano and violin is grand in Fmajor for Clar+Sax +Violin then I'll have no problem transferring to a transposing score (thanks to photoscore:)). I suppose the recording i'm listening to threw me when I heard the key change.

Would still like to know if some keys are better than others for Violin/Sax/Clarinets, just want to make it as easy as possible for the players as they are of a low enough standard (excuse the term).

Cheers

Sinfonia

Originally, Fratres was essentially like a chorale; it wasn't until the violin & piano version that the solo line with all the arpeggios etc. was written.
As far as I recall, it's always been in the same key, and it's never had a wind instrument playing that solo line.

So my guess is that the Amstel Quartet perhaps transposed the piece for the sake of the soloist (possibly because it was an easier key for the instrument?). So if your soloist will be playing violin, I would stick with the original key (which, for the record, is an interesting topic in itself, as the drone and middle voice only play notes from the A minor triad, implying that A minor is they key, while the outer voices play from the D minor harmonic scale - very cool).

evolving_doors

doh I never realised the inner part was from a minor triad, that makes somebody's part very manageable indeed...ya think ill keep things simple and stay in a minor (or a phrygian with a c#)..

Thanks,

would still like to know what's the ' easiest' key for sax , clarinet and violin to play in though... Is there certain notes that are difficult to find or change to on a sax/clarinet ?

Undergod

Armelodie wrote: »

would still like to know what's the ' easiest' key for sax , clarinet and violin to play in though... Is there certain notes that are difficult to find or change to on a sax/clarinet ?

On clarinet, not really - though less experienced clarinettists might have difficulty going "across the break" - the register change between B flat and B natural above middle C (A flat and A natural concert pitch) can be kinda tricky for a lot of players. I imagine this could be the same on the saxophone, though I'm not certain.

Also on the clarinet, the notes between F and B flat above middle C (E flat and A flat concert pitch) can sound kinda weak - they're known as the "throat notes" and it's sometimes difficult to get good tone quality. It's not too much of a problem, but if you have a chance to experiment with how it's arranged you could mess with this.

For violin, the only reason you'd need to worry about key is if you wanted to use open strings - otherwise it can play in any key with more or less the same ease.

I agree with Sinfonia, it should be fine in the original key.

evolving_doors

That's perfect must remember that (no Ab's and Eb's).

Thanks a lot folks I've learned a bunch...