About the Music

This adaptation for bass clarinet to low C of Carl Baermann's Complete Method for Clarinet: Part 3, Op. 63 includes major and minor scale and arpeggio exercises arranged by key, followed by additional exercises: chromatic scales, octatonic scales, whole-tone scales, fully-diminished 7th chords, and augmented chords.

Major and minor scales include a simple ending (A) as well as an arpeggio ending in the style of Baermann's original publication (B). No articulations are included, as the performer should choose articulations (in consultation with a teacher when applicable) based upon his/her individual goals.

With a range from low C to altissimo G, this book can also be used for study on basset clarinet, basset horn, and contrabass clarinets.

95 pages.

PDF Edition

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About the Arranger

Andrew Sprung is second clarinetist of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra (Traverse City, Michigan) and adjunct instructor of clarinet at Spring Arbor University and Hillsdale College. He maintains a private studio of 35+ high school, middle school, and adult amateur clarinetists and bass clarinetists.

He has performed with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Ballet, Windsor (Canada) Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Light Music Theatre, and others. He holds a D.M.A. degree from Michigan State University, M.M. from Bowling Green State University, and B.A. from Iowa State University. He is a Selmer Paris artist.

Read the Review

Carl Baermann’s Complete Method for Clarinet, Part 3, Op. 63, is a nearly indispensable study for all clarinetists. This edition by Andrew Sprung is a reorganization and expansion of Baermann’s classic method to fit the bass clarinet with extended range to low C. Sprung is not the first to release such an adaptation. His edition draws parallels to an earlier release by Jack Snavely, former professor of clarinet at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In a similar fashion to the Snavely edition, Sprung reorganizes the major and minor scale and arpeggio exercises by key, advancing through the order of sharps and flats. The bulk of the book contains scale patterns including arpeggios, interrupted scales, broken chords, returning scales, dominant 7th chords, thirds and sixths. In the back of the book, Sprung also includes exercises on chromatic, octatonic and whole-tone scales as well as augmented and fully diminished seventh chords. While Sprung’s reorganization of the Baermann method is a convenient feature, the true value of this edition comes from the use of the full range of the bass clarinet to low C. Every exercise makes use of the lowest notes to some extent. Sprung opts not to include articulations, instead giving instructions for the performer to “choose articulations (in consultation with a teacher when applicable) based on their individual goals.” Those wishing to incorporate the extended range of the bass clarinet into their daily scale study may find this edition beneficial.

– Zachary Dierickx, The Clarinet, Music Reviews, June 2019