The History of the Clarinet

The Chalumeau was the first true reed instrument used by musicians. In Nuremburg, Germany around 1690, Johann Christoph Denner improved the chalumeau giving it 7 holes and two keys. In 1700, Johann Denner placed the two keys in such a way that it had a range of almost 3 octaves, allowing it to overblow at the twelfth. The instrument sounds the note G, an interval of a twelfth, instead of making the note C an octave higher. Most other woodwinds overblow at the 8th instead of the twelfth.



Johann's son Jacob Denner created the Clarinet's clarion register by further experimenting with the placement of the keys and was able to discover positions allowing for an easier to tune, clearer upper register around 1710. Around 1740, the third key, or speaker key, was added enabling the clarinet to play the third line B-natural. Due to its tone sounding like a small trumpet, it was given the name "clarinet".

In the late 1700's, improvements to the clarinet continued significant experimenting with the bore and the cut of the tone holes by changing the cuts and shapes. The clarinet has a distinct sound due to the fact that it has a cylindrical bore whereas most other woodwinds have a conical bore. Around 1778, the 5 keyed clarinet was played in the Manheim Orchestra played by actual clarinet players, verses the the previous 3 keyed model before played by oboe players doubling on the clarinet.

Some people view that the Denners were the inventor of the clarinet by the invention of the speaker key, while others feel that Iwan Muller was the father of the modern clarinet because of his contributions to the instrument. He invented the 13 keyed model. In in his cut of tone hole and by the composition of the pads, easier fingering was facilitated. The key system further improved the tone and pitch of the instrument by putting certain keys higher or lower. It also provided extra keys that could open and close along with the use of certain other keys. His pads made of wool and covered with gut or leather were extremely important because they were more waterproof, which was very different than the felt pads used before. His B-flat model allowed for the instrument to comfortably play chromatically in all keys, unlike the earlier clarinets made in specific keys. Depending upon what key the music was written in, would depend which model was used. In 1815, he presented his model the Paris conservatory and it was rejected, for they were not ready to do away with the clarinets made in various keys. In 1830, Symphonie Fantastique was composed by Hector Berlioz used at least one of the 13 keyed clarinets which, in turn opened the door for this clarinet to be used in future compositions.



In 1840, the saxophone inventer, Adolphe Sax perfected the bass clarinet. That is the reason why it looks so much like the Saxophone. Around this same time, 1839-1843, Hyacinthe Klose and Auguste Buffet worked together to adapt the Boehm fingering system to the clarinet. Theobald Boehm originally created this system for the flute. Due to acoustical differences in the flute overblowing at the octave and the clarinet overblowng at the twelfth they had to adapt his fingering system specifically for the clarinet. Boehm's system made a more stable and in tune instrument it's intricate system of springs and keys. Klose and Buffet also added the ring-key system, putting rings over the open tone holes and attaching them to springs and keys that the fingers could not reach. In 1844, the patent was granted on the "Boehm" clarinet, with 17 keys and 6 rings. This system is still used today, as well as other fingering systems. In Germany other popular ones are Albert and Auler. Two other adjustments made to the clarinet were giving it 18 holes and it is now made from ebonite instead of the wood it was originally made from. It is said by many that the Romantic Period brought about the most important tecnical development and increasing importance to the clarinet.


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