Clarinet
From Oddwinds
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'''Clarinets''' are single reed instruments with a [[Bore|cylindrical bore]]. The clarinet family is the largest of the [[Instrument Family|instrument families]]; over two dozen sizes of clarinets have been made over the past three centuries. The family can be broken down to the following sub-families, many of which include several instruments in several different keys: | '''Clarinets''' are single reed instruments with a [[Bore|cylindrical bore]]. The clarinet family is the largest of the [[Instrument Family|instrument families]]; over two dozen sizes of clarinets have been made over the past three centuries. The family can be broken down to the following sub-families, many of which include several instruments in several different keys: | ||
| - | + | * [[Piccolo Clarinet|Piccolo (or Octave) clarinet]] in C, Bb, A, Ab | |
| - | + | * [[Sopranino Clarinet|Sopranino clarinet]] in G, F, E, Eb, D ''(This is Shackleton's useful classification, but Eb and D clarinets are much more commonly considered [[Soprano Clarinet|soprano clarinets]], and "sopranino" if used at all is used as a synonym for [[Piccolo Clarinet|piccolo (or octave) clarinet]].)'' | |
| - | + | * [[Soprano Clarinet|Soprano clarinet]] in C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G | |
| - | + | * [[Basset Clarinet|Basset clarinet]] in A and other keys | |
| - | + | * [[Clarinette dAmour|Clarinette d'amour]] in Ab, G, F | |
| - | + | * [[Basset Horn|Basset horn]] in G, F, D | |
| - | + | * [[Alto Clarinet|Alto clarinet]] in F and Eb | |
| - | + | * [[Bass Clarinet|Bass clarinet]] in C, Bb, and A | |
| - | + | * [[Contra-alto Clarinet|Contra-alto (or Contralto, or Eb Contrabass) clarinet]] in EEb | |
| - | + | * [[Contrabass Clarinet|Contrabass clarinet]] in BBb | |
| - | + | * [[Octocontra-Alto and Octocontrabass Clarinet|Octocontra-alto (or Octocontralto) clarinet]] in EEEb | |
| - | + | * [[Octocontra-Alto and Octocontrabass Clarinet|Octocontrabass clarinet]] in BBBb | |
The clarinet family isn't odd, but most of its members are: The Bb, A, and C soprano clarinets, the Eb and D sopranino clarinets, and the Bb bass clarinet are mundane instruments; probably so is the basset horn; but most or all the rest can probably be regarded as [[Odd Instrument Categories|Category]] 2 odd instruments. | The clarinet family isn't odd, but most of its members are: The Bb, A, and C soprano clarinets, the Eb and D sopranino clarinets, and the Bb bass clarinet are mundane instruments; probably so is the basset horn; but most or all the rest can probably be regarded as [[Odd Instrument Categories|Category]] 2 odd instruments. | ||
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== References == | == References == | ||
: Nicholas Shackleton. "Clarinet", ''Grove Music Online,'' ed. L. Macy (accessed 21 February 2006, [http://www.grovemusic.com/ grovemusic.com] (subscription access) | : Nicholas Shackleton. "Clarinet", ''Grove Music Online,'' ed. L. Macy (accessed 21 February 2006, [http://www.grovemusic.com/ grovemusic.com] (subscription access) | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Mundane families]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Clarinets]] | ||
Current revision as of 17:30, 14 September 2006
Clarinets are single reed instruments with a cylindrical bore. The clarinet family is the largest of the instrument families; over two dozen sizes of clarinets have been made over the past three centuries. The family can be broken down to the following sub-families, many of which include several instruments in several different keys:
- Piccolo (or Octave) clarinet in C, Bb, A, Ab
- Sopranino clarinet in G, F, E, Eb, D (This is Shackleton's useful classification, but Eb and D clarinets are much more commonly considered soprano clarinets, and "sopranino" if used at all is used as a synonym for piccolo (or octave) clarinet.)
- Soprano clarinet in C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G
- Basset clarinet in A and other keys
- Clarinette d'amour in Ab, G, F
- Basset horn in G, F, D
- Alto clarinet in F and Eb
- Bass clarinet in C, Bb, and A
- Contra-alto (or Contralto, or Eb Contrabass) clarinet in EEb
- Contrabass clarinet in BBb
- Octocontra-alto (or Octocontralto) clarinet in EEEb
- Octocontrabass clarinet in BBBb
The clarinet family isn't odd, but most of its members are: The Bb, A, and C soprano clarinets, the Eb and D sopranino clarinets, and the Bb bass clarinet are mundane instruments; probably so is the basset horn; but most or all the rest can probably be regarded as Category 2 odd instruments.
From Terje Lerstad's web site, in the midst of a bunch of pictures of octocontra-alto and octocontrabass clarinets, are two family portraits: a 1940 picture of six all-metal harmony clarinets, and a photo from a 1983 Leblanc catalog of fourteen clarinets from piccolo to octocontrabass.
The Philharmonia Orchestra web site has a PDF leaflet on the clarinet family.
Whatever the size, an clarinet is odd if:
- its body is made of metal
- it's tuned to a Bohlen-Pierce scale
[edit] References
- Nicholas Shackleton. "Clarinet", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed 21 February 2006, grovemusic.com (subscription access)
