It isn’t always easy to be a bass clarinet player. While most bass clarinet parts are pretty simple and blend into the background, we still want our chance to shine every once in a while. Luckily, there are some pieces written and arranged for bass clarinet to sing out and be heard! Here are six pieces you may or may not know that are festival and contest appropriate. For reference, these pieces are all included on the Florida Bandmasters’ Association approved Solo and Ensemble Music list.
Kaleidoscope, Op. 50: No. 9. Orientale-Cesar Cui
(arr. B. Leonard for bass clarinet and piano)
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 3 min |
| Grade: | 3 |
This is a great first contest piece for a bass clarinetist that’s been playing for a year or two. The notes remain in a range that should be playable for even newer players, which makes this an easy choice for your first piece performed with accompanying piano!
Autumn Song-Leroy Ostransky
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 4 min |
| Grade: | 3 |
Autumn Song takes it a step further in terms of the skills and technique required to perform it, but should still not be beyond the reach of a second year player. Another factor to consider on this piece is that it is a full minute longer than Orientale, so you need to be prepared for the slightly longer blow.
Pastorale and Bourrée-Edward German
Arr. H. Voxman
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 6 min. 30 sec. |
| Grade: | 4 |
Pastorale and Bourrée shows off two sides of the bass clarinet. The minor Pastorale shows off the lyrical and emotional abilities of the player, while the major Bourée demonstrates more technical abilities with articulated notes at a faster tempo. It is the longest of our featured pieces and could be split up for either movement to be performed on its own, if needed.
Andante and Allegro- Yvonne Desportes
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 5 min. 30 sec. |
| Grade: | 4 |
This two movement piece will challenge players with both the endurance required to perform it from beginning to end and the technicality of the Allegro movement. This piece would be recommended for a student in their third or fourth year of playing.
Ballade-Eugéne Bozza
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 4 min. 30 sec. |
| Grade: | 5 |
Bozza’s Ballade is the first work for bass clarinet composed by a French composer. Eugene Bozza is well known for his compositions for the saxophone, and gave bass clarinetists a truly beautiful piece with Ballade. This piece, composed of one single movement, displays a wider range than the previous pieces and requires a variety of articulations, agile fingers, and command of the full range of the instrument. Recommended for advanced high school students or college musicians.
Introduction and March - JOHN RARIG
| Range Required: | Low Eb |
|---|---|
| Approximate Duration: | 4 min. |
| Grade: | 6 |
While not as long as some of the other pieces we’ve listed, Rarig’s Introduction and March is a challenging piece to perform. This piece is recommended for very advanced high school players and university music students. The recording we’ve linked to also includes some special instruction from Michael Lowenstern of Earspasm Music. He gives some valuable advice on how to practice this piece.
Thanks for reading! I hope this post is helpful for you as you choose a piece to prepare and perform, whether it be for contest, or just for fun. Did we miss any pieces that you think should be on our list? What’s your favorite bass clarinet solo? Leave a comment and let us know!
