In my choldhood, I recall poring over Selmer instrument catalogs (back when companies still printed catalogs) wondering about this strange animal; the F Basset Horn.
In my now advancing age, I recognize it as an alto clarinet in F....pitched a step above the alto clarinet....an instrument invented by a demented instrument maker to bedevil middle-school children. I guess there are multiple pitches for the instrument, as well as multiple bore options....who knew?
Lo and behold, Mozart liked the sound of the basset horn and wrote rather prolifically for the instrument.,..to such an extent that I purchased (out of cuiousity) a double CD (so he at least wrote enough work to fill two CDs) of the collected works by Mozart for basset horn...it actually sounds pleasant to listen to, rather has the sinuous tonal character of the viola.
In my now advancing age, I recognize it as an alto clarinet in F....pitched a step above the alto clarinet....an instrument invented by a demented instrument maker to bedevil middle-school children. I guess there are multiple pitches for the instrument, as well as multiple bore options....who knew?
Lo and behold, Mozart liked the sound of the basset horn and wrote rather prolifically for the instrument.,..to such an extent that I purchased (out of cuiousity) a double CD (so he at least wrote enough work to fill two CDs) of the collected works by Mozart for basset horn...it actually sounds pleasant to listen to, rather has the sinuous tonal character of the viola.