TEMPERANCE BAND MUSIC.

On No. 3 of our Scores, "The Brown Maid," we have a few remarks to make. In the first place: if the third flute be in the band, our first line should be copied out a third lower, and there should be two sharps in the signature (i. e. at the beginning of each line) instead of one flat. 2ndly, the small notes on the first eight bars of the ad libitum clarionette (the second line of our score) is in reality a bassoon part; and may be played on that instrument with good effect, if transposed into the bass cliff: on this subject, see what we have said in our “general preliminary remarks" below. The real ad libitum clarionette commences after the eighth bar, and if there be an E flat clarionette in the band, this part may be played on it by writing it out a third lower, and putting two sharps instead of one flat in the signature.

No. 4 of our band music is "Molly Astore," in which we have given the bassoon part; on this arrangement we have no particular remark to make: we shall therefore proceed to commence the second part of our plan. We fear what we shall have to say on the instruments separately, may APPEAR of very little use to several of our readers: we must beg of them, therefore, to suspend their judgment on this point, until we have gone through the separate subjects in the way we propose to do; for we hope, when this has been effected, that we shall be enabled to give, in a much simpler form, the necessary instructions, which will enable persons of very moderate musical acquirements, to write out the parts of our score for other instruments (in case the exact instruments for which the music has been arranged are not used in any particular band.) Thus, for instance, to write out a B flat clarionette part so as to answer for a C clarionette, &c.

GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

Only two cliffs (the treble and bass,) have been introduced into our scores, in the former

E

the note on the first (or lowest) of the five lines is called E and the second note given in our example, which is on a line immediately below the first line is called Tenor C. In the bass cliff

G

the note found on the first line is G, and the second note here given, which is on a line immediately above the fifth line, is the same as the second note in the example of the treble cliff, viz. Tenor C. A clear recollection of this will be found necessary, to understand what we shall have to say respecting the compass, or extent of scale of the various instruments,

as well as of their mutual relations; and by reckoning (up or down) from this note in each cliff, there will be no difficulty in ascertaining the positions of the notes in the bass and treble, which are the same with one another. We propose to commence with a short account of

THE FLUTE.

Softness and sweetness of tone are the chief characteristics of this instrument, and although its scale takes in nearly three octaves, (from tenor C up to high B flat) it is to be observed that in "Harmony Music" (i. e, music for a band of wind instruments only) the lowest octave is seldom made use of at all, inasmuch as the higher notes are by far the most effective in combination with other instruments. The tenor C, and C sharp, indeed, are not to be found on many flutes, and accordingly the common or Concert Flute is sometimes called the D flute, from that being its lowest note, and we have represented it as such in the Flute Scale, No. I. The easiest keys to play in on it are G, D, and C; then F, B flat, and E flat major, (together with the relative minors of each of those keys.) Keys with four or five sharps (viz. E and B major) are the most difficult for the performer on this flute. The Piccolo (or octave flute) is a much smaller instrument, and (as its second name denotes) the sounds it produces when played on, in the same manner as the concert flute, are an octave higher than those of the latter instrument; its sound is consequently very shrill and piercing, producing an excellent effect in concerted music, when judiciously employed; but becoming exceedingly disagreeable, if introduced by the composer without proper discretion. In "harmony music," other kinds of flutes are frequently introduced, and their scales are written precisely in the same way as the scale of the concert flute, (No. I.) the lowest note on the instrument being always CALLED D, so that the performer plays on each of those instruments exactly in the same manner as on the common flute, although the sounds produced are very different with the different instruments; thus there are third (or F) flutes, on which the lowest note (though called D,) sounds as F, being a minor third higher than the lowest note on the common flute. On the fourth (or G) flute, the lowest note (still called D) is really G, being a fourth higher than the common flute. There are also B flat and C flutes, on which the lowest sounds are respectively B flat and C, viz. a sixth and a seventh above the lowest sound on the common flute. A reference to the scales will perhaps make all this clear. On the first line will be found the scale as written for any flute, and if this scale be played on the common (or D) flute, the sounds will be exactly what the names of the notes represent in the treble cliff. If, however, this same scale (No. I.) be played on the third (or F) flute, the sounds would be those of the notes given in the stave No. 2. Again, if No. 1 were played on the G flute, we would hear the sounds represented in the third stave, and in like manner, the fourth and fifth staves represent the real sounds produced, when the scale No. I. is played on the B flat and C flutes respectively.

The best keys for the third (or F) flute, are B flat, F, and E flat major, then A flat, D flat, and F sharp major, with their relative minors. (G and D are difficult keys.)

The best keys for the G flute are C, G, and F major; then B flat, E flat, and A flat major, with the relative minors of each. (A and E major are difficult keys.)

The best keys for the B flat flute, are E flat, B flat, and A flat; then D flat, F sharp, and B major, with their relative minors. (C and G major being difficult keys on it.)

The best keys for the C flute, are F, C, and B flat, then E flat, A flat and D flat major, with their relative minors. (D and A major are difficult keys.)

A Piccolo in F is often employed in harmony music, and (with the exception of its sounds being an octave higher) every thing we have said with regard to the F flute is applicable to it. For difficult solos in three or four flats an E flat piccolo is sometimes employed, and for four sharps a piccolo in E natural is occasionally introduced, but it is unnecessary to dwell farther on this subject at present.

Although the Flute has the compass given in the first line above; the best nctes on the instrument lie between the notes marked on the Scale-i. e., from G to G two octaves above.

THE CLARINETTE.

The compass of this instrument, which occupies so important a place in harmony music, is very great, extending from E (below tenor C) to G, three octaves and two notes above,—thus

to

But the best notes on it are to be found from

As it is not possible, however, to play perfectly in tune on the C clarinette in every key, other instruments are employed when several sharps or flats occur in the music, and the best keys for each sort of clarinette are that of the instrument itself, and those keys which have only one sharp or flat more, or less than the key of the instrument. Thus, the best keys for the C clarinette are C, G, and F major, (or A, E, and D minor,) though it may also be used in the keys of D and B flat major (or B and G minor).

Best keys for the B flat clarinette are B flat, F and E flat major, (or G, D, and C minor,) sometimes used in C and A flat major (or A and F minor). Best keys for the A clarinette are A, E, and D major, (or F sharp, C sharp and B minor,) sometimes used in B and D major (or G sharp and B minor). Best keys for the D clarinette are D, A, and G major, (or B, F sharp, and E minor,) sometimes used in E and C major (or C sharp and A minor).

Best keys for the E flat clarinette are E flat, B flat, and A flat major (or C, G, and F minor,) sometimes used in F and D flat major (or D and B flat minor).

Best keys for the F clarinette are F, C, and B flat major, (or D, A, and G minor,) sometimes used in G and E flat major (or E and C minor).

The scales for all the kinds of clarinettes are written in the same mannerthe lowest note being always called E, although it only has the sound of E when played on the C clarinette.

The B flat clarinette produces a sound a whole tone lower than the C clarinette when similarly played on.

The A clarinette is a minor third lower than the C clarinette.

The D clarinette sounds a whole tone higher than the C clarinette.

The E flat clarinette is a minor third higher in sound than the C clarinette.

The F clarinette is a fourth higher than the C clarinette.

A reference to the clarinette scales, which we shall give next month, will more fully explain what we have said as to the sounds of the different instruments when played on in the same way. The second line shows that when the performer plays, on the B flat clarinette, the apparent notes (and in the apparent keys) set down in the first stave, he is really playing the notes (and in the keys) which are ranged under them in the second stave, and the sounds of the other species of clarinettes are in like manner given in the other lines of the scale.

Note. In several copies of the arrangement of "Aileen Aroon" (in our last number) two flats were introduced in the signature of the second Clarinette part, which ought to be erased.