Bass clarinet
From Oddwinds
The Bb bass clarinet might have been considered odd a century or so ago, but is these days a mundane member of the clarinet family. However, there are instances (Category 3) of what would now be considered odd shapes and odd keys among historical instruments.
Odd Bass Clarinets
- John Kilpatrick:
- Besson Contrabass Clarinet Pictures -- page has two photos showing an unusual bass clarinet in the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments in Oxford, UK (to the left of the contrabass clarinet which is the real subject of the pictures).
- Terje Lerstad's web site,
- In the midst of a bunch of pictures of octocontra-alto and octocontrabass clarinets, a 1940 picture of six all-metal harmony clarinets, including what may well be the only paperclip bass ever made (second from right).
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston:
- Bass clarinet in C by Nicola Papalini, about 1815 (picture and info). Possibly the squiggliest wooden instrument ever made.
- Bass clarinet in B-flat, late 19th century (picture and info). Sort of halfway between the bassoon format and the (now) usual mostly-straight format.
- NC Clarinet Collection:
- Leschke, Johann Leipzig, ca.1860, Bass Boehm System Clarinet, numerous pictures. Fairly close to typical modern instruments except for the hand rest and the downward-pointing wooden bell.
Odd ensembles
- A bass clarinet may be mundane, but a bass clarinet quartet isn't.
- Neither is the world's only touring viola and bass clarinet duo.
