The HISTORY OF THE The HISTORY OF THE CLARINETCLARINET

1111thth Grade Music Appreciation Grade Music Appreciation

Elizabeth OwensElizabeth Owens

THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLARINET HAS THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLARINET HAS OCCURRED IN OCCURRED IN SIXSIX MAIN STAGES MAIN STAGES

1. Ancient Instruments1. Ancient Instruments

2. The two-key clarinet2. The two-key clarinet

3. The five-key clarinet3. The five-key clarinet

4. The 13-key clarinet4. The 13-key clarinet

5. The 17-key clarinet5. The 17-key clarinet

6. The modern day clarinet6. The modern day clarinet

Stage 1: Ancient Stage 1: Ancient InstrumentsInstruments

No one knows the exact history of the clarinet, but all agree that its predecessors No one knows the exact history of the clarinet, but all agree that its predecessors date back 5,000 yearsdate back 5,000 years

The The chalumeauchalumeau

is the most well-known ancestor to the is the most well-known ancestor to the clarinetclarinet

-chalumeau is a general term for any -chalumeau is a general term for any small, small, reed blown pipereed blown pipe

-this instrument was first played -this instrument was first played 2,000 years 2,000 years agoago

-in general, the chalumeau had six -in general, the chalumeau had six holes and holes and was about eight inches longwas about eight inches long

Pictures of Other Ancient Pictures of Other Ancient InstrumentsInstruments Although the chalumeau Although the chalumeau

is the most well-known is the most well-known ancestor to the clarinet, ancestor to the clarinet, several other cultures several other cultures used instruments similar used instruments similar to the early clarinetto the early clarinet

Stage 2: Denner & The 2-Key Stage 2: Denner & The 2-Key ClarinetClarinet Johann Christoph Denner made several changes Johann Christoph Denner made several changes

to the chalumeau to create the to the chalumeau to create the two-key clarinettwo-key clarinet--DennerDenner added two keys to the six-hole instrument to added two keys to the six-hole instrument to

create the first “clarinet” create the first “clarinet”

-one of these keys was the -one of these keys was the register keyregister key, ,

added to increase the number of notes a player added to increase the number of notes a player could producecould produce

-Denner’s sons later added the -Denner’s sons later added the bellbell

to make room for another key-covered holeto make room for another key-covered hole

-Throughout the early 18-Throughout the early 18thth century, Denner and other century, Denner and other instrument makers continued to experiment and add instrument makers continued to experiment and add keys keys

Stage 3: The 5-Key Stage 3: The 5-Key ClarinetClarinetBy 1800, most clarinets had By 1800, most clarinets had 5 or 6 keys5 or 6 keys

-these keys were not the work of one person, but of -these keys were not the work of one person, but of several musicians who had become interested in several musicians who had become interested in

developing developing the clarinetthe clarinet

-the addition of these keys gave players more -the addition of these keys gave players more flexibility when flexibility when choosing musicchoosing music

Another important advancement was the addition of a Another important advancement was the addition of a removable mouthpieceremovable mouthpiece

-the chalumeau and the two-key clarinet both had the -the chalumeau and the two-key clarinet both had the mouthpiece permanently attached to the instrumentmouthpiece permanently attached to the instrument

-this advancement was significant because it allowed-this advancement was significant because it allowed

mouthpiece to be constructed out of a different material mouthpiece to be constructed out of a different material

than the instrument itselfthan the instrument itself

-different materials gave different sounds-different materials gave different sounds

Stage 4: Muller and The 13-Key Stage 4: Muller and The 13-Key ClarinetClarinet

By 1812, Ivan Muller had produced a 13-key By 1812, Ivan Muller had produced a 13-key clarinet, giving the player many advantagesclarinet, giving the player many advantages

-a more beautiful tone quality-a more beautiful tone quality

-less difficulty in musical passages-less difficulty in musical passages

-more volume control, from a “whisper” to a -more volume control, from a “whisper” to a “shout”“shout”

-the ability to fit into the orchestra-the ability to fit into the orchestra

Stage 5: The 17-Key Stage 5: The 17-Key ClarinetClarinetAround 1850, Carl Baermann added to the 13-Around 1850, Carl Baermann added to the 13-

key clarinet and invented the key clarinet and invented the 17-key clarinet17-key clarinet

-the addition of these keys fixed many -the addition of these keys fixed many problems of earlier modelsproblems of earlier models

-this clarinet had -this clarinet had holes placed holes placed acousticallyacoustically, , rather than for the player’s rather than for the player’s comfortcomfort

-this clarinet was the most -this clarinet was the most in tunein tune compared to compared to the earlier clarinetsthe earlier clarinets

Later, Oskar Oehler (pronounced “oiler”) Later, Oskar Oehler (pronounced “oiler”) used Baermann’s design to create his own used Baermann’s design to create his own clarinet system, used by German clarinetists clarinet system, used by German clarinetists todaytoday

Stage 6: TransitionStage 6: Transition into the into the Modern ClarinetModern ClarinetSince Oehler, nothing major has changedSince Oehler, nothing major has changed

-Minor changes have been made by -Minor changes have been made by Eugene AlbertEugene Albert and and Louis Louis BuffetBuffet, among others, among others

-Albert was dedicated to improving upon -Albert was dedicated to improving upon Muller’s model Muller’s model

-Buffet took the ideas of the modern flute and -Buffet took the ideas of the modern flute and applied them to the keywork of the clarinet applied them to the keywork of the clarinet

Clarinets today:Clarinets today:

-have 5 main pieces-have 5 main pieces

-have 17 keys-have 17 keys

-are made out of plastic or Grenadilla -are made out of plastic or Grenadilla woodwood

-are popular orchestral, band, solo, -are popular orchestral, band, solo, and chamber and chamber instrumentsinstruments

REVIEWREVIEWTHE EVOLUTION OF THE CLARINET OCCURRED IN SIX MAIN STAGES:THE EVOLUTION OF THE CLARINET OCCURRED IN SIX MAIN STAGES:

1. Ancient Instruments1. Ancient Instruments

-the -the chalumeauchalumeau is the most well-known ancestor to the clarinet is the most well-known ancestor to the clarinet

2. The two-key clarinet2. The two-key clarinet

-Denner added -Denner added two keystwo keys to the chalumeau to create the to the chalumeau to create the first clarinetfirst clarinet

3. The five-key clarinet3. The five-key clarinet

-by 1800, the clarinet had -by 1800, the clarinet had 5 or 6 keys5 or 6 keys and a and a removable mouthpieceremovable mouthpiece

4. The 13-key clarinet4. The 13-key clarinet

-Muller developed a -Muller developed a 13-key13-key model that gave the player a model that gave the player a better tonebetter tone, , more more flexibilityflexibility, and more , and more contrast in volumecontrast in volume

5. The 17-key clarinet5. The 17-key clarinet

--BaermannBaermann added keys to help added keys to help fix problems of earlier clarinetsfix problems of earlier clarinets

6. The modern day clarinet6. The modern day clarinet

-the clarinet did not go through any more -the clarinet did not go through any more major physical changes, major physical changes, but but several famous musicians continued to several famous musicians continued to perfect the instrumentperfect the instrument and and create the modern day clarinetcreate the modern day clarinet

Famous ClarinetistsFamous Clarinetists

Benny Goodman Benny Goodman

Stanley DruckerStanley Drucker

Eddie DanielsEddie Daniels

Richard StoltzmanRichard Stoltzman

David ShifrinDavid Shifrin

Larry CombsLarry Combs

BENNY GOODMANBENNY GOODMAN

STANLEY DRUCKERSTANLEY DRUCKER

- began to play as a - began to play as a professional musician professional musician at 14, then began his at 14, then began his recording career at recording career at age 17age 17

- famous - famous jazz jazz clarinetistclarinetist; known ; known as the as the “king of “king of swing”swing”

- became - became principal principal clarinetist clarinetist of the New of the New York York PhilharmoniPhilharmonic at age 19 c at age 19

- is one of the few living - is one of the few living orchestral musicians whose orchestral musicians whose biography appears in the biography appears in the New Grove Dictionary of New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Music and Musicians

EDDIE DANIELSEDDIE DANIELS

RICHARD RICHARD STOLTZMANSTOLTZMAN

- popular - popular jazz and jazz and classical classical clarinetisclarinetist t

- has been a - has been a soloist with soloist with groups like groups like the the Cincinnati Cincinnati Symphony, Symphony, the the Rochester Rochester PhilharmonicPhilharmonic, the , the Indianapolis Indianapolis Symphony, Symphony, and the and the Boston Pops Boston Pops

- has been - has been a soloist a soloist with over with over 100 100 orchestrorchestrasas

- presented the - presented the first clarinet first clarinet recitals in the recitals in the histories of both histories of both the Hollywood the Hollywood Bowl and Bowl and Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall

DAVID SHIFRINDAVID SHIFRIN

- principal clarinetist of - principal clarinetist of the Chicago the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Symphony Orchestra

- - foundinfounding g member member of the of the Chicago Chicago ChambeChamber r MusicianMusicians s

LARRY COMBSLARRY COMBS

- professor of music - professor of music at Yale Universityat Yale University

- awarded the - awarded the Avery Fisher prize Avery Fisher prize in 2000 in 2000

Clarinet RecordingsClarinet Recordings

Sonata in E-flat Major, AllegrettoSonata in E-flat Major, Allegretto

Saint-Saens Saint-Saens

Sonata in F Major, Allegretto GraciosoSonata in F Major, Allegretto Gracioso

BrahmsBrahms

Concerto for Clarinet in A Major, AdagioConcerto for Clarinet in A Major, Adagio

MozartMozart