Entire history of clarinet.
Clarinet has been made since 300 hundred ago. Very first time it was just for folk music. And it was called 'chalumeau'. It had about octave range and 9 holes with cylinder. After that 'Johann christopher denner' who is the instrument mechanist in german remade it on 1690. At that time he add 'A' and 'Resister' key(key in order to change octave. In Saxophone if you put the resister key you can random to exactely one octave. That means you will organized exactly same fingering as a below fingering system. So you can call resister key as a octave key in Saxophone. But Clarinet goes 12 notes higher if you use resister key.) Making a resister key was the mark of clarinet progression. And then the son of him J.denner made clarinet much more better. He made the 'B' key. Because of this key you can play low 'E' note which never had played before. So Clarinet range of nowadays had made at that time approximately. And gradually instrument maker added several keys. In Beethoven age, Famous clarinetist 'Gebruder stadler' added 'C#' key. And clarinetist 'Iwan Muller' in 19C made epochal Clarinet ever which has 13 keys. So Clarinet has been used as same as other woodwind. instrument. (oboe,flute..) This new instrument could play most of trill or pitches were pretty stable. In 1842 professor 'Hyacinth Eleonore Klose'(also know as famous clarinet etude 'klose') in paris conservatory made Boehm system cooperatively with Buffet. (One of famous clarinet company.) This clarinet is most close clarinet what we use now as a structurally. Next paragraph is about Boehm system.
Boehm clarinet
Clarinet has been improved a lot as its mechanic system.
Now I'm going to look over about Boehm system which are played mostly all
over the world.(There are two big system which
clarinetists use. One is Boehm system, the other is German clarinet system
(wurlitzer clarinet company makes.)) Boehm system justly approved and adopted
in the French army and at the conservator of paris is perfectly in tune
and posses above ordinary models an invaluable purity and evenness of tone
throughout the instrument. Its splendid but simple mechanism of keys opens
one hole for each note. The imperfect notes, the cross fingerings and difficulties
hitherto experienced in the ordinary system completely disappear in the
Boehm system. The best proof of the superiority of this new system is that
it has been applied to all the wind instruments even to the Flageolet.
At the very first time when Boehm system came out, it was rejected, as
generally are all new improvements by the artistes who being ill disposed
against the little trouble in the change of fingering, left it abandoned
during some years. But a few artistes, being struck by its real superiority,
undertook to popularize it; and now almost every French clarinet player
performs upon it and a great many Belgian, English, German, and Italian
artistes use it, And it is rapidly taking the place of the ordinary or
albert system in this country.
Bibliography: H.Lazarus.
Clarinet Classification
1.E
flat piccolo clarinet
2.D
clarinet
3.C
clarinet
4.regular
B flat clarinet
5.A
clarinet
6.E
flat alto clarinet
7.B
flat bass clarinet
8.F
basset clarinet (used by long time ago modern clarinetist doesn't use at
all. Some of ancient clarinetist use it.)
9.E
flat contra bass clarinet.
About different keys (B flat, A, E flat)
There are many different keys of clarinets. There are most two reasons for should using in different keys of clarinet. First of all, in woodwind playing some tune on E flat or F# key is pretty tough. Because the early days of clarinet all that had 4 or 5 keys only. So if composer makes A flat tune clarinetist would not be able to play it. (of course very long time ago. Modern clarinet can play any of keys.) So originally instrument has Two or three flats (or sharp) then it can be omitted in clarinet. (If Clarinet concerto composed by B flat or E flat, then clarinet can play as a C major and F major. So usually clarinet concerto composed as E flat major or B flat major either C minor or a G minor originally, The Mozart clarinet concerto is A major. So in A clarinet play in C major.) Second of all, all of the clarinet has own their unique sound quality. I'll explain to you as B flat and A clarinet which used most in nowadays. B flat clarinet has brilliant sound than A clarinet otherwise A clarinet has deep sound and wide. (But the other hand B flat clarinet pitch is more stable.) That means composer should consider what clarinet they use for sound of orchestra or concerto in order to make sound what they want. (audience would listen not really differently between B flat and A clarinet though, for me its sounds totally different.) Because of those reason could make many kind of clarinet maybe. (this part is from my opinion not from some other bibliography.) Usually composer makes concerto in B flat clarinet. Because B flat clarinet has more brilliant and bright sound than A clarinet. (So when clarinetist play super technical sound that will be listened more technically.) But I don't mean they don't use A clarinet at all. In orchestra work composer use A clarinet a lot. Not so many A clarinet concerto available though, I recommend you those of works: Mozart clarinet concerto Kv 622, Schumann Fantasiestucke Opus 73. (you had better listen Karl Leister's)
How to make your own reeds.
First
cut off a piece of cane the thickness of a half dollar coin (1) and of
the size of the lay (3) (The part of the mouthpiece where the reed is laid
and held by the ligature or reed-holder). then rub the in side part of
the cane on a broad fine cut file until the surface is perfectly flat,
after which it may be placed on the lay (3) and the screws of reed-holder
tightened to ascertain if the opening (5) is correct. Holding the mouthpiece
sideways against the light the opening (5) should extend downward about
one inch. Remove the reed from mouthpiece and with a sharp knife trim down
gradually from center (6) to top (7) being careful not to take too
much off at first as later adjustment must be allowed for. The edges should
be rounded from where the cutting begins (8) and show an elongated angle
from the middle. The cane should be thicker in the middle (9) than at the
edges (10). The thin end of reed can be shaped with a sharp pair of scissors
of a reed-cutter. If, on trial, the reed prove too hard, file off the thickness
at top of reed, sloping toward edges (11). If the top is already thin enough,
file off between the centre (6) and the top (7), but with great care, for
should too much be taken off the tone will be spoiled. Then with a very
smooth file straight across the top of reed to a depth 1/8 of an inch downward;
this will leave thin part even and almost transparent. Again place the
reed on lay (3) and give a side glance at the opening (5) ;should it be
too close, loosen the top screw of reed-holder and tighten the bottom screw
reverse the process if the opening is too large. The flat surface, preferably,
plate glass. When left on the mouth-piece for a few days, all the small
faults in a reed may vanish; but the real fault may be in the mouth-piece,
if located there take the mouth-piece to the maker or a repair shop for
refacing. If the reed still remains too hard, adjust it on lay so as to
show a trifle below top of the mouth-piece, (13) if too soft adjust it
to show above the top (14), this experiment will at once show the defect.
In the first case reduce the reed at end of the curve (15), in the second
case, cut off the top (16). Future warping of the reed may be corrected
by using large sandpaper, but carefully avoid making reed too thin at the
heel (17)
Clarinet possibility in Jazz
Jazz clarinet player are few and far between. Because
clarinet hardly emphasize praise reason that clarinet can play very soft
but not really loud one. So classically it would be good though in jazz
it would be big handicap. So in Jazz field not so many jazz player use
clarinet as a their principal instrument. And also technically pretty hard.
(especially high range of clarinet.) But many jazz players have been using
clarinet gradually. Especially 'Eddie daniels' is finding many possibility
of jazz clarinet who is one of my favorite and famous player. Nevertheless
Clarinet mechanic structure and handicap many of player use clarinet as
a principal instrument. Because player can see a lot potential in Clarinet.
I hope more people play jazz clarinet as a their principal instrument.
Now you are going to see several albums and paragraph of Eddie Daniels.
If you want to know what jazz clarinet sounds like, then you should listen
Eddie's work.
Ok here we go.
Eddie's career.
Born October 19, 1941 in New York city.
Started with alto sax at age 9.
Eddie attended the high school of the performing arts
in New York city.
During Eddie's junior year he was selected for Marshall
Brown New port Youth Band (he played alto.)
Age 17 he entered Brooklyn college where he was later
to receive his B.A. in music and education.
In 1963 he got married and started teaching music
in the New York city high schools.
In 1964 he entered Julliard school as a clarinet major,
minoring in composition.
He began his jazz career as tenor saxophonist with
the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis in 1966. Soon thereafter he took part in the International
Jazz Competition in Vienna (organized by friedrich Gulda) and won the first
prize as saxophonist.
First prize:his first album in 1966.
Eddie Daniels and Gary Burton
Benny Rides Again
1.
SING, SING, SING
2. STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY
3. MOONGLOW
4. AIRMAIL SPECIAL
5. LET'S DANCE
6. SLIPPED DISC
7. MEMORIES OF YOU
8. AVALON
9. IN A MIST
10. GRAND SLAM
11. AFTER YOU'VE GONE
12. GOODBYE
13. KNOCKIN' ON WOOD
Eddie
has come through again with a great album. One
of the best in a long time. What strikes me is the musicality, sophistication
and depth. Each player is superb and
the recording is fine. Eddie and Chuck play some of the most inventive
solos without compromising sound or technique. I have been largely
absorbed with Eddie's clarinet playing these past years so, I
more or less forgot what a terrific sax player he is.
This is clear in Real
Time. During the past
few years, I have publicly acknowledged that Eddie
.
. .It was June 1966. Thad Jones and Mel Lewis
had started their Jazz Orchestra and I was one of the tenor players. We
were performing every Monday night at The Village Vanguard. The Band, as
it was called, was the "hippest" most "swinging" contemporary big band
of the sixties and seventies. This group featured an ideal sampling of
the most consummate jazz musicians of its time, Bob Brookmeyer, Hank Jones,
Richardson, jerry Dodgion, and Snooky Young, just to name a few. I was
proud to be part of The Band, playing every Monday night for excited and
inspired jazz audiences. It is now June 1994. Twenty eight years later.
The Band still exists - Thad, Mel and Joe Farrell are gone. The memory
of the Band, Thad's enthusiasm for music, his great swinging compositions
and Joe Farrell's wonderful tenor playing evoke a sadness in me. Hence,
Thad's
Lament and the tune Farrell. Blue Bolero is also an original
of mine - slow passionate dance with a couple, slow moving across the dance
floor. Let's not forget the clarinet! It is definitely here - and has its
own identity on six tunes: Rainbow Shadows, The man I Love, Sweet Lorraine,
My Foolish Heart, You Stepped Out Of A Dream, and Tricotism.
I
hope you enjoy how beautifully it was recorded.
He
has been trying to combine classical music and jazz music for a long time.
On several his album
