Notation and sound generation » clarinet » Philipp Dangas

Notation and sound generation of the clarinet

The clarinet is a closed, cylindrical woodwind instrument with a single reed. Although the clarinet has reached an extraordinarily high degree of technical perfection, its structure still requires its finger hole and key technology, i.e. its scale technology, to be tied to a certain basic scale, which always remains the same, so that the clarinet continues to be one of the transposing instruments heard instruments.

During the development of the clarinet, an instrument tuned to this key had to be used for each key. Of the large number of these instruments, only the A, Bb and C clarinets, the small Eb and D clarinets, the alto clarinet in F or the basset horn (both rare) and finally the bass clarinet in Bb. The actual position of the basic scale within the absolute tonal system is determined by the size of the instrument, i.e. by the length of its entire vibrating air column. In the language of the orchestra, “clarinet” always means the normal clarinet in A, Bb and C.

The special clarinets are identified by their special names: small clarinet in D or Eb, bass clarinet, etc. It is sufficient to simply prescribe "Eb clarinet" etc. in the scores. The composer or instrumentator today does not need to consider the technical advantages or disadvantages in terms of tonality with regard to the use of the A, Bb or C clarinet, since it is up to the performing instrumentalist with these difficulties and peculiarities getting ready. The entire scale of the clarinet is always notated evenly from e [minor octave] to c⁴ [fourth bowed octave] using the treble clef. The bass clef is only used for the bass clarinet.