I`m thinking of buying a Basset Horn and a professional soprano clarinet...I just want to know If Getting the Basset Horn is a good idea.

no to buying a basset horn

its way too much money for how much use you would get out of it- unless you plan on making a career of playing the mozart clarinet concerto and quintet.

But I could transpost Alto Clarinet music to the basset derr

What alto clarinet music? There`s no repertoire for alto clarinet.

In clarinet choir there is aften parts for Alto, Bass, and Contrabass clarinets (I played contrabass for my clarinet choir)

True, but the only time you`ll play in a clarinet choir is in school. Make the school supply an alto clarinet; don`t spend $5,000 on a basset horn that you will never use in the professional world.

a professional plays the mozart concerto with a basset clarinet. the basset horn is a different animal.

Actually, the only surviving manuscript fragment from mozart`s clarinet concerto is scored for basset horn not basset clarinet. I think that the barenwriter edition of the piece may have some commentary on this I`m not sure though. I remember the barenwriter part being written in 1 staff for clarinet and another staff for basset horn though.

I play alto clarinet right now and there isn`t much solo music for it, and because it`s not an orchestral instrument, I can`t study it in university. Thus I`m thinking about learning the basset horn, because my instuctor mentioned it and that it was very similar to the alto, and I could study it in university. What key is it in? And does anyone know if I would have any difficulty picking it up?

I agree with Bryan. Use some common sense.

Stacey, the basset horn is in the key of F. So, if you do orchestral works you could possibly get away with playing off the French horn or English horn pieces. Or just do the Mozart pieces

My advice to Stacey--go to university and study the standard B-flat clarinet with specialty in Bass Clarinet. You will have many more post-university opportunities with this combination. Alternative is to go to a speial program in early music and take up the shawm, zink, and serpent--clainets were invented later.

im a oboist and i dont kno anything about clarinets, but are BASS CLARINETS and BASSET CLARINETS two different instruments?.. or are they just spelt differently in different part of the world?.. just a curious question.