About the Clarinet
The word “clarinet” is derived from Italian for “little trumpet.” Johann Christoph Denner, a German instrument builder, invented the clarinet around 1690. History credits Denner, along with his son Jacob, as creating the first clarinet by adding two keys to an instrument called the chalumeau. The chalumeau had been around since the 1600’s and was a cylindrical, wood instrument that had itself been inspired by the recorder. Both the clarinet and its precursor, the chalumeau, use a wooden single reed to create sound.
What made the clarinet its own unique instrument were the addition, by Denner and his son, of the rear “register” key and the modification of the B ♭ key. The rear register key is the uppermost key on the side of the instrument facing the clarinetist, which, when depressed with the player’s opens the hole that allows the clarinetist to sound the upper register. The B ♭ key still sounds the B ♭ note, but also allows the player to sound the highest notes of the altissimo register. Prior to Denner’s modifications, the B ♭ key was located lower on the chalumeau and could not be used by the forefinger to increase the range of the instrument. Thanks to his modifications, Denner’s new clarinet had a four-octave range and a richer sound quality. Even after the invention of the clarinet, the chalumeau would remain a popular instrument until around 1785.
In a way, the clarinet remains two separate instruments: the lower register, which is very much the same chalumeau instrument created during the Baroque era as opposed to the upper register, which combines the notes of the clarion and altissimo ranges that sound much brighter (hence, the derivation of the name, little trumpet).
Clarinet Keying Systems
There have been four distinct keying methods over the development of the clarinet. The most common method used today is known as the Boehm system. While the Boehm keying system is named after Theobald Boehm, another German instrument builder, Boehm did not actually create the Boehm system for the clarinet. Boehm, did, however, make drastic changes to the flute’s keying and is known for creating the modern flute, for which he was also a composer.
The Boehm system of clarinet keying was actually developed around 1840 by two Frenchmen, Hyacinthe Klosé and Auguste Buffet. The main innovation of the Boehm system involved the restructuring of the keys to improve the overall tonal quality and jumps between the upper and lower register, which at that time were even more pronounced than they are today. Klosé and Buffet added extra keys so that some notes could be played more than one way, in an effort to reduce awkward jumps between certain notes.
Other keying systems that have been used throughout the history of the clarinet include the Mueller, Albert, and Öhler systems. Each of these keying systems is still used on some instruments, such for historical value (Müller system) or to facilitate key changes in some non-Western music (Albert system).
Clarinet Construction
Clarinets can be constructed of a variety of materials, including various types of wood, plastic, ivory, and even metal. African hardwoods are the preferred body materials, because of their acoustic qualities and hardiness. One problem that wooden clarinets face, however, is the fact that they react badly to humidity, which can cause the wood to swell, and diminish the acoustic properties of even the most expensive instrument. In order to combat this, some manufacturers use a composite material made from carbon and ebony powder instead of wood. The resulting instrument, which is more impervious to the humidity, is significantly heavier. The added weight can affect the manual dexterity of the clarinetist’s right hand, since the thumb of that hand has to support the weight of the entire instrument.
The mouthpiece of the clarinet is usually made out of ebonite, which is rubber that has been extensively cured, or vulcanized over long periods of time. Plastic is also used in mouthpieces, but lacks the overall tonal qualities associated with ebonite.
A metal or plastic device, called a ligature, attaches a single reed to the mouthpiece. Reeds vary by manufacturer in terms of their ability and costs. Cane is used to make most reeds, although plastic reeds are sometimes used by marching bands or in instances when the quality of the note being played does not matter as much. Softer clarinet reeds are easier to produce a vibration with, but have a significantly worse sound than harder reeds, which have a great sound but are harder to vibrate and require significantly greater lungpower. Manufacturers label clarinet reed ratings one through five, with “one” reeds being the softest and “five” reeds being the hardest.
For ease of transportation, the clarinet separates into five distinct pieces that reconnect via cork and plastic inserts when the clarinetist is ready to play. The mouthpiece of the clarinet is where the note begins; the vibration of the reed against the mouthpiece is what causes the reed to vibrate against the mouthpiece. Second comes the barrel, which is a slightly flared cylindrical piece that connects the mouthpiece to the bottom. The upper joint comes next, and is played with the left hand, followed by the lower joint, which is played by the right hand and supported by the right thumb. Last comes the “bell,” which, as its name suggests, is bell-shaped, the better to communicate the acoustics of the incredibly resonant clarinet to the outside world.
Clarinet Capabilities
The clarinet’s four octaves are commonly referred to as three “registers.” The bottom register, which sounds the lower-pitched notes, is the chalumeau register, named after the clarinet’s Baroque precursor. The second register is known as the clarion register, and it is the clarion register that is responsible for the bright, trumpet-like notes the clarinet for which the clarinet is most famous. The upper register is known as the altissimo register. Italian for “very high,” this register represents the most piercing notes of the clarinet, the ones that can sound like a screaming cat in the hands of a poor player.
The clarinet is an incredibly talented and versatile instrument, capable of a wide range of tones that can add variety and life to any style of music. While many other instruments fade away into obscurity only to have their merits re-discovered after a few years just to fade away again, the clarinet has enjoyed a stable popularity since its innovation over four hundred years ago. As a staple of chamber, orchestra, symphony, and popular music, the clarinet certainly is not going anywhere.
