Solo Bass Clarinet-Claude Debussy's Syrinx for Bass Clarinet. Despite being written originally for Flute this transcription of Syrinx by Helen Paskins works beautifully for the Bass Clarinet; the timbre of theinstrument really resonates with the haunting melancholy of the melody. 'Syrinx was written in 1913 by Debussy for the flute as incidental music to Gabriel Mourey's play Psyché. It was first performed by anddedicated to Louis Fleury. It has become a staple of the flute repertoire and subsequently of the solo classical saxophone repertoire too. It works beautifully on the bass clarinet; the timbre of the instrument really resonateswith the haunting melancholy of the melody. The story of Syrinx is from classical mythology and has inspired many wonderful works of art literature and music. It tells of a beautiful and chaste nymph who istransformed into water reeds that sing sweetly in the breeze as she attempts to escape the amorous advances of the Greek God Pan. Pan on hearing the enchanting melody of the reeds cuts them down to make pan pipes therebyunwittingly killing his love but keeping her with him forever. For flautists Syrinx and the French flute tradition have played an important role in inspiring players to find and explore the full palette ofethereal and evocative tone colours. The subtle flexibility with which it is possible to craft the sound is a feature of wonderful flute playing today and from which I feel there is much we bass clarinettists can learn.' -Helen Paskins 2015
