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Clarinet history
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The name derives from adding the suffix -et (meaning little) to the Italian word clarino (meaning a type of trumpet), as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The clarinet family is the largest such woodwind family, with more than a dozen types, ranging from the BB contrabass to the A soprano. Of these many are rare or obsolete, and music written for them is usually played on one of the more common types. The unmodified word clarinet usually refers to the B soprano clarinet, by far the most common clarinet.
A person who plays the clarinet is called a clarinetist or clarinettist. The clarinet was invented in Germany by Johann Christoph Denner around the turn of the 18th century, by adding a register key to the earlier chalumeau. Over time, additional keywork and airtight pads were added to improve tone and playability. Today, the clarinet is used in both jazz and classical ensembles, as well as in chamber groups and as a solo instrument.
Know Your Clarinet
The modern clarinet is a very popular instrument, not only in orchestral music but also in jazz. Unlike the flute or recorder which have no reeds to make the initial sound, nor like the oboes and bassoons who have a “double reed” to play on, the basset-horn, basset clarinet and the rest of clarinet family – just like the later saxophone family – have a single reed which a player rests on their bottom lip and blow through to make a note.
It has a very distinctive sound, which can be very smooth or quite raucous, and there are high-pitched (the E-flat clarinet) and very low (bass clarinet and contrabass clarinet) versions of what is a “transposing” instrument, where the music is written at one pitch on the stave, but sounds at a different pitch.
Only gradually taken up by composers, both Haydn and Mozart eventually started to compose for this new-fangled instrument .
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Type of clarinet
There are two types of clarinets available for students, wood and plastic. Usually the plastic clarinets are less expensive, often by HK$2000 or more. When you look at a wood clarinet, you can see the grain in the wood. The plastic clarinet is usually shiny, although there are some matte finish plastic clarinets available. There are distinct advantages for each of these types of clarinets. Wood clarinets are generally made of African Grenadilla wood, and provide a warmer, more professional sound than plastic. Professionals exclusively use wood clarinets, but plastic is more durable and can take more abuse especially from young students. Since wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, it must not be left in cold or hot temperatures for too long, as the wood will try to contract or expand, but the metal key-work will not. This could cause the instrument to crack, and could render the instrument unplayable, or in need of serious repair. |
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Clarinet is one of the most popular instruments in the band. Here are some of the reasons why:
• The clarinet has a very pleasing warm sound.
• Clarinet is one of the featured instruments in the band.
• Some of the most beautiful music has been written for clarinet.
• Clarinet is not hard to learn.
• Once you can play clarinet you can easily learn to play saxophone and flute.
• Clarinet isn't heavy and is easy to carry.
• You can create fun duets, trios, quartets and bigger groups with other clarinetists and woodwind players |
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Here is a list of great works featuring the clarinet for further listening :
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Mozart : Clarinet Concerto in A, K 622
Copland : Clarinet Concerto
Debussy : Premiere Rapsodie
Finzi : Clarinet Concerto, Op 31
Weber : Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra in E-flat, Op 26
Nielsen : Clarinet Concerto, Op 57
Lutoslawski : Dance Preludes for clarinet & orchestra
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Beethoven : Symphony No.4 in B-flat, Op 60
Schubert : Symphony No.8 in B minor, D759, “ Unfinished”
Rimsky-Korsakov : Capriccio Espagnol, Op 34
Rimsky-Korsakov : Scheherazade, Op 35
Kodaly : Dances of Galanta
Rachmaninov : Symphony No2 in E minor, Op27
Prokofiev : Peter and the Wolf , Op67 (The Cat)
Gershwin : Rhapsody in Blue
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Mozart : Clarinet Quintet in A, K 581
Beethoven : Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in B-flat, Op 11
Brahms : Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115
Brahms : Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in A minor, Op 114
Stravinsky : The Soldier’s Tale
Messiaen : Quartet for the end of Time
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Brahms : Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op 120 Nos 1&2
Schumann : Phantasiestucke, Op 73
Saint-saens : Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in E-flat, Op 167
Poulenc : Sonata for Clarinet and Piano
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