The history of the clarinet has roots in the earliest woodwind instruments-the instrument we now know as the clarinet evolved from an earlier single reed instrument. Today's clarinets dominate the woodwind family, with more than a dozen different types that range in size and pitch.
Early Roots
A popular instrument from the 12th to 17th centuries was the calumeau, a woodwind instrument made from cane with a single reed. These instruments were similar to traditional single reed, cylindrical folk instruments found at the time throughout Europe. The calumeau also featured tone holes and featured fingering similar to recorders.
In the late 1600s, German flute maker, Johann Christoph Denner, improved upon the chalumeau by adding a register key that widened the range of the instrument. Musicians quickly embraced the improvements and began to incorporate the clarinet-a name that originates from "clarion," which means "trumpet" in Italian, and "et," meaning little-into their performances. In the early 1700s, the clarinet was added to many orchestral arrangements, including a piece by Vivaldi in 1716. Within the next few decades, the clarinet became even more widespread, as significant structural changes with more keys added.
Late 1700s to 1800s
By the late 1700s, clarinets in different pitches were being made and incorporated into various orchestras throughout Europe. With a significant presence in some of the most pivotal orchestra pieces of the day, the clarinet continued to be a composer favorite. Such prominent composers like Mozart and Hayden relied heavily on the clarinet in the late 1700s. By the 1800s, the clarinet had evolved to feature 13 keys and the single reed had moved from the top to touching the musician's bottom lip. In the mid-1800s, Hyacinthe E. Klose and August Buffet added rings around the holes that moved together and separately. The number of keys had increased to 17 and sizes became more standardized.
The 1900s to the Present
With the onset of the industrial revolution, clarinets were first machine manufactured in the late 1800s, but really saw a boom in production in the early 1900s, with plastic mouthpieces among the new innovations. Today's clarinet features 17 keys-musicians that favor this versatile instrument can find a wide array of written music for the orchestra.
 | You might know the sound of a clarinet, but odds are good you don't know how to build a clarinet. |
 | Clarinet notes might seem confusing initially, but practice can help a clarinetist learn the foundation of making a clarinet sing. |
If you are taking on the act of playing clarinet, technique, practice and patience will be your best friends. |
Find articles about clarinet, including the history of the clarinet, how to build a clarinet and playing clarinet. |
