-
THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET /
Presented by
David A. Glick /
To fulfill the dissertation requirement for the degree of
Doctor of Musical Arts
Department of Music Education
(Clarinet)
Dissertation Director: Professor Everett Gates
Eastman School of Music
of the
University of Rochester
April 1978
-
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this dissertation is the examination of an
authentic five-keyed clarinet, an instrument that enjoyed
widespread use ca. 1770 to 1825. The clarinet was built by Ludwig
Embach and
Johann Nicolaus Jehring of Adorf, Germany around 1800, and is
pres-
ently in the writer's possession.
Certain conclusions are based on the writer's examination of
approximately three hundred early clarinets in museums and
private
collections throughout Europe, Canada, and America, as well as
on
his correspondence with more than one hundred musical instrument
col-
lectors.
Chapter I deals with the restoration process and those indi-
viduals involved. Chapter II contains a general description of
the
"Classic" clarinet along with measurements. The historical
develop-
ment of the five-keyed instrument, important tutors and makers,
or-
chestral beginnings, and use on the concert stage are outlined
in
Chapter III. Chapter IV is an examination of performance
problems.
The final chapter is a summary with recommendations for further
areas
of research.
Appendices include photographs of the clarinet before and
after restoration, an analysis of the original clarinet
mouthpiece,
11
-
letters froa collectors of early woodwind instruaents, audio
tapes
of perfaraances on the five-keyed clarinet with historic
European
keyboard instruaents, excerpts of the ausic perfaraed,
photographs
and a description of the keyboard instruaents, and a selected
list
of literature dating from the time of the fin-keyed
clarinet.
iii
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VITA
David Alan Glick was born on January 6, 1946, in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. He began serious study of the clarinet at age
fifteen
with Nestor Koval, presently on the faculty of Duquesne
University.
From 1963 to 1968, he attended Carnegie-Mellon University,
graduating
with bachelors' degrees in Music Education and Performance.
There he
studied with clarinetist Louis Paul.
From 1968 to 1971, he served in the United States Army as a
clar-
inetist with the North American Air Defense Command Band,
Colorado
Springs, Colorado; and the West Point Band, West Point, New
York. While
at West Point, he attended the Manhattan School of Music, New
York City.
His clarinet studies at Manhattan were with Herbert Blayman. He
re-
ceived the Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School in
1971.
That same year, he began work on the degree of Doctor of
Musical
Arts in Music Education at the Eastman School of Music, where he
studied
with D. Stanley Hasty and Everett Gates. During his first two
years at
Eastman, he served as Solo Clarinetist of the Eastman Wind
Ensemble and
Eastman Philharmonia Orchestra.
He has appeared as Solo Clarinetist in the American Symphony
Orchestra League's 1965 summer workshop at Asilomar, Calif., Dr.
Richard
Lert, Conductor. Also, he received a scholarship in 1967 from
the North
Carolina School of the Arts for summer study in Siena, Italy. As
a
iv
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national winner of the Anne Gannett Scholarship far Graduate
Study,
sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs, he
pt>eaiered
John La.Montaine's ConTersations for Clarinet and Piano at the
Feder-
ation's seventy-fifth anniversary convention. This work was
written
for him.
In September 1973 he won the top prize at the International
Clarinet Coapeti tion in Munich, Gerll&lly. He gaTe several
concerts
and aade radio broadcasts and teleTision appearances with the
Bavar-
ian Radio Orchestra. During 1976 and 1977, he recorded sonatas
and
a concerto for the broadcasting corporations of Munich,
Stuttgart,
Cologne, Frankfurt, and Bamberg. In the sWilJller of 1975 he
performed
and lectured in Holland and Germany on the five-keyed
clarinet.
Woodwind World has published three of his articles, "Private
Clarinet Instructions" (September 1972), "Knowing lour Clarinet
Through Measurement" (SUllller 1974), and "The Twenty-second
Inter-n& tional Music Competition" (Spring 1974)
Presently, he is Instructor of Clarinet and Saxophone at the
State University of New York, Geneseo; and teaches instrumental
ausic
in the Greece Central School System, Greece, New York.
v
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.PREFACE
Over the last several years there has been a growing
interest
in the recovery and performance of early music. This involvement
with
the past is especially evident in instrumental music, for many
oppor-
tunities now exist for hearing it accurately played on period
instru-
ments.
Through the efforts of Thurston Dart, Arnold Schering,
Robert
Donington, Hugo Leichtentritt and others, numerous performance
prac-
tice misconceptions have been alleviated. Some additional credit
for
establishing a modern tradition of pre-Bach interpretation
should be
given to Arnold Dolmetsch (1858-1940) for his inspiration and
musical contributions.
Recently formed organizations such as the Galpin Society
(founded 1946) and The American Musical Instrument Society
(founded 1971) maintain an active involvement with the study and
performance of early music. As stated in the by-laws of The
American Musical
Instrument Society, formerly known as The Historical Musical
Society:
The object of this Society shall be to further the cause of
organology. The specific objective shall be the study and
collecting of historical musical instruments, and their
per-formance, design and production.1
1"By-Laws," Newsletter, of The Historical Musical Society, I
(November, 1971), P 3; I.
vi
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Vith these two societies and with similar organizations,
much
of the thrust has been in the direction of pre-Bach ausical
instru-
aents and literature. Recently, though, we have seen a
burgeoning of
interest in performing eighteenth and nineteenth-century
literature
on period instruments.
The eminent musicologist Curt Sachs gives us a detailed
exam-
ination of early woodwinds.2 Books by Anthony Baines and
Alexander
Buchner contain beautifully detailed photographs with
descriptions of
a wide variety of instruments.3
In 1968, the Galpin Society held an exhibition of European
musi-
cal instruments at the Reid School of Music, Edinburgh,
Scotland. At
this important international event, a catalogue was issued
listing ap-
proximately three hundred brasses and woodwinds in use around
18oo.4
Measurements, pitch and present ownership were also included.
The In-
ternational Council of Museums held a seminar in 1960 at The
Hague or.
proper maintenance of early musical instruments. Through the
combined
efforts of Alfred Berner, J. H. van der Meer, and H. de Chambure
(G. Thibault), an important publication resulted in 1967.5 This
valuable
2curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments (New York: v. W.
Norton & Company, Inc., 1940).
3Anthony Baines, European and Allerican Musical Instruments (New
Yorks The Viking Press, 1966};Alexander Buchner, Musikinstru-mente
im Wandel der Zeiten (Hanau/Main: Verner Dausien, 1960).
~e Galpin Society, An Exhibition of European Musical
Instru-aents (Edinburgh: Lorimer & Chalmers, Ltd.--, 1968).
5Altred Berner, J. H. Y&.n der Meer, and G. Thibault,
Preservation and Restoration of Musical Instruments (Londona
Evelyn, Adams & Mackay, 1967).
vii
-
document offers recooendations on how to cope with the problems
of
preservation and restoration.
Much has been written concerning the history and
construction
of early instruaents; soaevhat less on restoration. Of special
con-
cern to the author of this dissertation are early
nineteenth-century
woodwinds, particularly the five-keyed clarinet in use ca. 1770
to 1825.
Adam Carse and Anthony Baines give a general but important 6
introduction to the early clarinet. Books by Oskar Kroll, F.
Geof-
frey Rendall, and Wilhelm Altenburg treat the subject with far
greater detail. 7 Valuable articles by Adam Carse and Eric
Halfpenny, plus 1m-
portant early tutors, nov published in facsimile by Minkoff of
Switzer-
land, add to our in-depth knowledge of the "Classic" five-keyed
clarinet.8
The author, a clarinet player, acquired an original,
five-keyed,
boxwood clarinet, built in Adorf, Germany around 1800. This
instrument
vas previously owned by Norbert Klem, a resident of Rochester,
New York.
It was originally the property of Klem's great grandfather, John
Beck,
who performed on the instrument in Germany. When John Beck's
daughter,
Klem's grandmother, left Germany in 1815 to settle in Rochester,
the clar-
6Adam Carse, Musical Wind Instruments (London: Macmillan and
Company, 1939); Anthony Baines, Woodwind Instruments and their
History (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1957). -
7oskar Kroll, The Clarinet (New York: Taplinger Publishing Co.,
1968)1 F. Geoffrey Rendall, ~Clarinet: Some Notes ~ its History and
Construction (London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1954)r Wilhelm
Altenburg, Die Klarinette ( Gerll&ny: Heil bronn, 1904)
8Adam Carse, "The Clarinet in the Eighteenth Century," The
Sackbut, II (October 1921), 4r Eric Halfpenny, "Early Inglish
Clarinets," The Galpin Society Journal, XVIII (March 1965).
viii
-
tnet was brought along. It was kept in storage until 19'72 when
the
writer purchased it.
The instrument was examined by Emanuel Winternitz and the
late
Edwin M. Ripin, Curator and Assistant Curator of Musical
Instruments
at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and by Robert w. Sheldon, a
re-
storer at the Smithsonian Institute. All found it to be an
authentic
early nineteenth-century boxwood clarinet in unusually good
condition.
The last point is important, for many early instruments are
often so
badly cracked or warped that restoration to a level of
performance is
nearly impossible.
This dissertation includes a description of the restoration
proc-
ess with an explanation of the problems encountered during
restoration
and the method of solution used by the restorer. Also included
is an
audio tape of the instrument played by the author, accompanied
by peri-
od keyboards from major European museum collections, and
photographs of the keyboards and of the restoration process.
In regard to performance on early wind and brass
instruments,
one precedent was set at the Eastman School of Music in 1961.
Frederick
Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble recordedz The Civil War
(its music and its sounds), Mercury (2-901/902). Original Civil War
brass instru-ments were used. The restoration was done by Robert w.
Sheldon, then an
Eastman student. Eastman's continuing involvement with early
musical in-
struments was also made evident in Neill Humfeld's doctoral
dissertation.9
9Neill Humfeld, History and Construction of the Cornett, Eastman
School of Music of the University of Rochester, (June 1962).
ix
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The building of .usieal instruments in music schools dates
back to the first .usic school in North America:
The first school on the North American continent was a music
school, organized precisely upon the model of the European
ca-thedral school. In response to an urgent appeal from Hernando
Cortez, the recent conqueror of Mexico, who had asked far work-ers
to convert the Indians to Christianity, Pedro de Gante, a
lay-brother of the Franciscan order, landed at Vera Cruz on August
30, 1523. Within a year of his arrival, he had opened a school for
the sons of native chiefs at Tezcoco in a build-ing placed at his
disposal by Ixlilxochitl, the Aztec emperor. The subjects he taught
included reading, writing, singing, play-ing of various
instrumenty6 copying musical manuscripts, and constructing
instruments. (Italics mine.) .
This dissertation, in a small way, should help to lay the
ground-work for more concentrated efforts in the performance of
late
eighteenth and nineteenth-century music on period
instruments.
The writer would like to express very special thanks to
several
individuals who played a major role in the realization of this
project. Without their help, the scope and content of this
dissertation would
not have been possible. To all, the author is greatly
indebted.
The initial restoration on the author's five-keyed clarinet
was done by Herbert Myers. A former member of the New York Pro
Musica
and now on the faculty of Stanford University, Myers is
recognized
as a master woodwind craftsman. He has performed and lectured
inter-
nationally, and is also the Director of the Stanford
Renaissance
Wind Band.
10Allen P. Britton, "Music in Early American Public Education: A
Historical Critique," Chapter 8 in Basic Concepts 1n Music
Education, edited by Nelson B. Henry (Chicago: The University
or-Chicago Press, 1958), P 197.
X
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Peter DeVuyst, Wood Specialist within the Greece Central
School System, Greece, New York, hand-shaped the duplicates of
the
original clarinet aouthpiece. Countless hours were spent on
this
project. James Pyne, Solo Clarinetist of the Buffalo
Philharmonic and
mouthpiece refacer, faced the duplicate mouthpieces.
Frederick Koeng, Senior Research Chemist at the Eastman
Kodak
Company, prepared the photographs far this dissertation. Because
of
the many problems associated with photo image transfer,
screening pro-
cedures, and photocopying techniques, his expertise was greatly
ap-
preciated.
Christian v'aterlein, Assistant Curator of Musical
Instruments
at the Stuttgart LandesJruseum, arranged far performances using
the au-
thor's five-keyed clarinet. He also permitted a tape recording
to be
made using the Museum's highly prized Johann Andreas Stein
Fortepiano.
Fritz Thomas, Chief Restorer at the Deutsches Museum,
Munich,
arranged and assisted in the taping of three historic Museum
keyboards
in conjunction with the writer's instrument. Research Specialist
Schaeffer at the Frankfurt (am Main) City
University Library arranged for the taping of a John Broadwood
Piano-
forte in conjunction with the five-keyed clarinet. This
instrument is housed at the Frankfurt Library.
Dowell Multer, Head of the Keyboard Division at the State
Uni-
Tersity College at Brockport, N~w York, must be giTen special
thanks.
Internationally recognized as a performer and lecturer on the
subject
xi
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of early pianos and founder and coordinator of the Brockport
Keyboard
Symposium, Multer was instrumental in arranging for the concerts
and
taping sessions previously mentioned. He prepared an analysis of
the
keyboards, with photographs, and served as a sonata partner on
the en-
closed tape recording. The many months of work necessary far the
above
is a testimony to his friendship and belief in the value of this
proj-ect.
Finally, a special thanks must be given to the writer's
advisor,
Professor Everett Gates of the Music Education Department,
Eastman
School of Music. It was solely through his efforts that the
author
was able to purchase the five-keyed clarinet which served as the
topic
for this dissertation.
xii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
CHAPIER I.
II.
III.
IV.
v.
INTRODUCTION
Restoration Mouthpiece Duplication
THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET
General Features Key Mechanism The Mouthpiece The Reed
.
I I I I I
HISTORICAL DEVELOFMENT I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Early Tutors and Important Makers Use Within the Orchestra Early
Performers The Five-Keyed Clarinet in Concert
SOME ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE ON THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET
Acoustical Problems Use With Period Pianos
CONCLUSIONS REC OM~lENDA TI ONS
APPENDIX A. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET BEFORE AND
AFTER RESTORATION PLUS AN ANALYSIS OF ITS ORIGINAL MOUTHPIECE , , ,
, , , , , , . .
APPENDIX B. CORRESPONDENCE FROM MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
COLLECTORS
APPENDIX C. TAPE RECORDING OF THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET WITH
HIS-
Page
vi
1
2 4
8
8 10 12 13
15
15 16 18 20
27
27 )6 40 42
44
58
TORIC KEYBOARDS AND LITERATURE PERFORMED , , 97
xiii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page
APPE!iDIX D. PHOT(X;RAPHS AND DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC KEYBOARDS
112
APPENDIX E. A SELECTIVE LIST OF SONATAS AND CONCERTOS DATING
FROM THE TIME OF THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET 125
BIBLIOGRAPHY 131
xiv
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1.
2.
4.
5.
6.
7
8.
PLATES
The Modern Clarinet and Five-Keyed Clarinet
Dimensions of the Five-Keyed Clarinet and Modern Clarinet
Program of a July 13, 1975 Concert at the Haags Gemeentemuseum,
The Hague, Netherlands
Program of a July 20, 1975 Concert at the wtirtt-embergisches
Landesmuseum, Stuttgart, Germany
Review by the Stuttgarter Nachrichten of the July 20, 1975
Stuttgart Concert
Intonation Profile of Five-Keyed Clarinet Intonation Profile of
Buffet Bb Clarinet
A Comparison of the Intonation of Two Clarinets ,
XV
I I I
'Page
9
11
21
23
25
30
31
32
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CHAPI'ER I
IN'ffiODUCTION
The "Classic" five-keyed clarinet, usually made of boxwood
and with five brass keys, played a major role in the development
of the clarinet. Adam Carse and F. Geoffrey Rendall give detailed
in-
formation concerning its development, principal tutors, and
makers
ca. 177 5 to 182 5.1 As Adam Carse states:
Credit for "inventing" these last two keys ["tfl / ~#' and f' /
s_#" added to the three-keyed clarinet~in or about 1750 1s often
given to an organ-builder named Barthold Fritz of Brunswick, but
many clarinets made after that year were still without these new
keys. The five-keyed clarinet, the instrument which, towards the
end of the 18th century, was the standard type, and which just then
was establishing itself as a permanent member of the orchestra, was
IIIS.de in large numbers by continental makers, and was now also
being made in England. It was then made in high F, E (rarely), E
flat and D; the normal sizes were inC, B flat and A, more rarely in
B and low G. Tutors were provided for the five-keyed clarinet, and
Mozart gave it higher musical status by composing a concerto for
it. Military bands absorbed large num-bers of these instruments;
this no doubt accounts for the many surviving specimens.2
Haydn, Mozart, and the young Beethoven probably heard five-
keyed clarinets in the performance of their own works and those
of
others. While many examples of this instrument exist in museums
and
private collections, very few are restored to their original
condition.
This is a very important point, for to obtain a comprehensive
under-
1Adam Carse, Musical Wind Instruments (London: Macmillan and
Company, 1939h F. Geoffrey Rendall, The Clarinet: Some Notes
.sli}on its History~ Construction (London: Ernest Benn Limited,
19
2carse, P 155.
1
-
2
standing of the five-keyed clarinet, one should perform on the
instru-
aent.
In 1975, a questionnaire (Appendix B) was sent to one hundred
North American musical instrument collectors in an attempt to
locate
five-keyed clarinets. Thirty-five of the individuals and
institutions
contacted had five-keyed instruments in their collections. They
stat-
ed that restoration would begin when funds and qualified
personnel
are available.
Restoration is one of the aost vital factors in achieving
his-
torically authentic performance. Excellent books by Trevor
Robinson
and Arthur H. Benade discuss certain aspects of restoration)
Still, a detailed, step-by-step, analysis is rarely available.
A number of photographs that provide side-by-side visual
com-
parisons have been included. The observer may detect fine
details that
the writer has not commented on, some of which might well be the
subject of further research. The many problems associated with
color repro-
duction have made it impossible to include such photographs.
In the course of this dissertation, the "Classic," late
eight-
eenth through early nineteenth-century, five-keyed, boxwood
clarinet
will be referred to at times as the "five-keyed" or "Classic"
clarinet.
Restoration
Fortunately, the instrument needed minimal restoration.
Aside
lrrevor Robinson, The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker (Ailherst:
The University of Massachusetts Press, 19'73); Arthur H. Benade,
Horns, Strings, and Harmony (New Yorks Doubleday, Anchor Books,
1960),
-
3
from several s.all cracks, it was playable before any
restoration
began (Appendix A, Ex. 1), The clarinet was bull t by the firm
of Embach and Jehring of
Adorf, Germany; an area in the eastern part of Germany (the
Vogtland) near the Czechoslovakian border. Ludwig Emba.ch was born
in Wald Hildes-
heim in 1783 and died in Amsterdam in 1842. In his youth, he
went to
Adarf to apprentice with Johann Nicolaus Jehring who died there
around
1820.4 The names of the above are found on the upper, middle,
and low-
er joints of the clarinet (Appendix A, Ex. 14). The instrument
was brought from Germany to Rochester, New York,
in 1815. This is documented by its previous owner, Norbert
Klem.
Klem's great-grandfather, John l3eck, played the clarinet until
his
death in 1815. John l3eck's daughter, Klem's grandmother, left
Germany
during that year to settle in Rochester. Her father's five-keyed
clari-
net was brought along.
From the above information, the clarinet probably was built
between 1800 and 1810. At that time, Ludwig Emba.ch would
probably
have been experienced enough to be a partner in the firm, not
just an apprentice; therefore, allowing his name to be stamped,
along with
Jehring's, upon the clarinet.
Not long after the clarinet was purchased, the writer had
the
good fortune of meeting the notable woodwind craftsman, Herbert
Myers.
4 . Lyndesa.y G. La.ngwill, An Index of Musical Vind Instrument
Makers (Great l3ritiana Lindsay& Co., Ltd., 196o),P.47.
-
4
Active as a perforaer as well as builder and restorer of early
instru-
aents, Myers agreed to restore the clarinet. Myers' comments on
the
above are found in a personal letter to the writer (Appendix B).
The part of the instrument most in need of repair was the
clari-
net barrel. It had cracked and was missing an upper ring
(Appendix A, Ex. 3). The decision was made that since the bottom
ring was made of horn, an upper one should be built from cow horn
(Appendix A, Ex. 4) Epoxy was used to seal the cracked barrel.
Replacing the small section of missing wood from the upper joint
presented no real problem (Appendix A, Ex. 3). Since the type of
box-wood used in the original clarinet was not available to the
restorer,
an available hardwood was substituted (Appendix A, Ex. 5). The
lower joint had a hairline crack that was also in need of repair
(Appendix A, Ex. 6). Additional restoration was limited to the
cleaning and oiling of the instrument. During the last few years,
no problems have been
J
experienced with the above repairs.
Mouthpiece Duplication
The mouthpiece found with the clarinet had warped and
cracked
past the point of repair (Appendix A, Ex's. 7,8). It vas
necessary to have it duplicated (Appendix A, Ex's. 9,10). Aging,
previous use, and the inability to see any grain configuration made
the identification
of its wood difficult. The restorer concluded that it vas
probably
grenadilla or ebony because of its black color.
The aouthpiece was carefully examined by the late Edwin M. R i
pin,
-
5
Assistant Curator of Musical Instruments at The Metropolitan
Museum of
Art; Robert Sheldon, Musical Instrument Restorer at the
Smithsonian
Institute; and, Arthur H. Benade, Woodwind Acoustician,
Department of
Physics, Case Western Reserve University. All found it to be an
au-
thentic, early nineteenth-century mouthpiece, exceptionally
well-matched
to its clarinet. This particular mouthpiece design is further
discussed
by Anthony Baines and F. Geoffrey Rendall.5
The original mouthpiece lay w.as lightly sanded to achieve a
flat surface. Reeds were hand-fashioned to produce tones on the
orig-
inal mouthpiece which served as an aural guide for the duplicate
mouth-
piece. From all indications, the pitch of this combination was
approx-
ima.tely A-435 to 440.
There is very little relationship between early clarinet
mouth-
pieces and modern ones--design and tonal characteristics are
noticeably
different. Early nineteenth-century mouthpieces are generally
made of
wood, much smaller, and quite pointed. They also have a very
narrow,
tapered window (Appendix A, Ex. 11). The difficult and time
consuming task of duplicating the mouth-
piece was done by Peter DeVuyst, Wood Specialist within the
Greece
Central School System, Greece, New York. From a 4" x 1 3/8"
cylinder
of hard rubber rod, three mouthpieces were fashioned. The best
of the
three was used. DeVuyst hand forged his own steel reamer to
accurately
5Anthony Baines, Woodwind Instruments and their History (London:
Faber & Faber Limited, 1957), P 300; Rendall:Pp. 6-7.
-
6
duplicate the bore dimensions.
Hard rubber rod was the material used tar the duplicate
mouth-
piece. This was done because wooden mouthpieces, in use from the
in-
eeption of the clarinet to the beginning of the
twentieth-century, have
a tendency to change dimensions.
James Pyne, Solo Clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic,
faced
the duplicate mouthpiece. The accurate measurement of the
original fac-
ing and the adjustment of reeds to a foreign mouthpiece design
caused the greatest difficulty because the formation of the oral
cavity for
the early clarinet mouthpiece is very different than far the
modern one.
The former seems to require that a greater amount of the
mouthpiece tip
be placed into the mouth, and that no teeth or lip pressure be
utilized
during performance. This appears necessary for maintaining
relative
pitch stability and consistent tone quality in the different
registers.
Final examination of the original mouthpiece was prepared by
three dental surgeons. They analyzed the existing teeth marks
(Appendix A, Ex. 8) in an attempt to help clarify how the
mouthpiece was used in performance.
During the early nineteenth-century, two fundamentally
different
embouchure techniques were in use--the older method of the reed
against 6 the upper lip and the more modern form of the reed
against the lower lip.
Unlike many early clarinet mouthpieces that offer little or
no
indication as to how they were played upon, the writer's
original mouth-
f..__ .. lieinz Beeker, "Die europaische Klarinette. I
Allgemeine Ges-ehiehte." Musik in Gesehiehte und Gegenwart, VII
(1958), p. 1015.
-
7
piece contains several identifying marks. The surgeons, all
clarinet
players, prepared a report (Appendix A) for inclusion in this
disser-tation. Their objective was to decide what embouchure
technique was used with the original mouthpiece. After plaster
casts were made of
the mouthpiece and detailed photographs of the tooth marks
examined,
they concluded that the mouthpiece was probably played upon by
more
than one person, since there are two basic sets of tooth marks.
The
first set is located at approximately 7 mm. from the tip of the
mouth-
piece and is consistent with playing the instrument in the
older
manner. The second mark, located at about 15 mm. from the tip,
seems
consistent with the more modern embouchure technique. There are
also
other marks toward the ligature end and on the reed side that,
most
probably, are not associated with playing the instrument.
-
CHAPrER II
THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET
General Features
Information concerning the very early clarinet models of
two,
three, and four keys is limited. The instrument had made little
prog-
ress artistically, and was still far from being the important
member
of the orchestra which it was destined to become by the end of
the
eighteenth-century.1 Relatively few specimens of simple
clarinets
with two, three, and four keys have survived, nor were they used
as
extensively as the five-keyed instrument. It was not until the
intro-
duction of the five-keyed clarinet, with a slightly more
advanced key
mechanism, that the clarinet achieved a position of importance
as an
orchestral voice and as a solo instrument. The "Classic"
clarinet,
according to Carse and as seen in Plate 1 on page 9, was
generally made
in six piecest
(a) The ebony mouthpiece; rather narrow, with a "table" for a
short reed which was tied on, and might be placed either against
the upper or lower lip.
(b) The barrel; varying slightly in length, for tuning purposes.
(c) The upper middle-piece; with three finger-holes and two
keys
mounted in wooden rings or blocks. (d) The lower middle-piece;
with the three R.-hand finger-holes. (e) The lower piece; with the
R. little-finger-hole and the three
keys mounted in a wooden bulge which went right round the tube.
(f) The expanding bell. The usual material was boxwood, and ivory
or bone ferrules were generally provided to strengthen the joints
and protect the end
1Adam Carse, Musical Wind Instruments (London: Macmillan and
Company, 1939), PP 153-1_54.--
8
-
Plate 1. The Modern Clarinet and Five-Keyed Clarinet.
, .
9
, I.
-
of the bell. The square keys were of brass, flat, and furnished
with a piece of leather as a pad.2
When comparing the modern and five-keyed clarinet, shown in
Plate 1 on page 9, differences in design are apparent. Some
addi-
tional facts are revealed by a closer, side-by-side, examination
of
their dimensions as shown in Plate 2 on page 11.
Except for certain variations in mouthpiece design, bore di-
mensions, and exterior plan, the instruments are remarkably
similar.
10
The five-keyed clarinet's mouthpiece has a larger aperture. The
bore
of the instrument is slightly smaller and has less holes than
the
modern clarinet. Actual differences in overall length and bore
di-
ameter are quite small considering the many developments that
had taken
place from the time of the five-keyed clarinet to its modern
counter-
part.
The noticeable difference in sound, especially in the upper
register of the "Classic" clarinet with its brilliant, piercing
tone
quality, is due to, among other thin~s, the limited number of
holes in
the instrument, necessary cross fingerings, and mouthpiece
dimensions.
Key Mechanism
To contemporary clarinetists, the key mechanism of the
"Classic"
clarinet may seem crude and difficult to operate. It must be
remem-
bered that, up until that time, there were no precedents for the
trans-
fer of motion over distances of several inches on such small
instru-
ments. These keys had to be "invented," or at least worked out
at a
2carse, p. 155.
-
11
PLATE 2. Dimensions of the Five-Keyed Clarinet and Modern
Clarinet.
For the following measurements, a Vernier heifht gauge,
micrometer, and telescoping gauge were used. Each measurement is an
average of three tests at an approximate temperature of 72 derrees
Fahr., 50% relative humidity.
Five-keyed clarinet
Houthpiece: 3.515" - 89.3mm. Bottom of window to tip: 1. 320" -
33. 5mm. Barrel: 2.416" - 61.4mm. Up;:,er joint: 8.900" - 226.1mm.
lpper half of lower -inint: 4.62Y' - 117.4mm. Bottom half of lower
,loint: _5 91 3" - 150 2P'u"lo Bell: 4.155" - 105.5nr.. Overall
length: 26.007" - 660.5mm.
Lencth
Bore diameters Base of mouthpiece: 0.610" - 15.5mm. ToD of
barrel:
0.~6& - 14.4~rn. Bottorr. of barrel: 0.560" - 1LL.2f'T"o
Upper ,-icint: 0.561" - 14.2rr.m. UnDer section of lower :ioir.t:
o:s67" - 14.4l'lY!o Top part of lower-most joint: o._s68" -
14.4m!'l. Lm-rer-rost ,'oint at taper before flare: o.s37" -
13.5mm. End of lower-most joint: 0.735" - 2C.C;;,rn. Ton of bell:
0. P42" - 21 .4nm.
Buffet clarinet No. 1094~9
Mouthpiece: (Large bore, 7P~ 3.510" - 89.2nm . Bottom of window
to tip. 1.215"- 30.9mll. Barrel: 2. 642" - 67 .1 mm. Upper :ioint:
8. 777" - 222. 9r:m.
Lower .ioint: 10.046" - 255.2:'ln.
Bell: 4.192"- :tc6.5m:-1. Overall length: 25.657" - 651.7mm.
Base of mouth-:Jiece: o. 6oo" - 1 5. 2;,]. Top of barrel: C.
587" - 14. 9n~r.1. Bottom of barrel: 0. 585" - 14. 9'L-. To? of
vp-per .-ioi::l.t: 0.584" - 14.8mm. Botton of U?per .ioint: 0.573"
- 14.5J:1.m. Top of loHer :ioint: 0.572" - 14.5r;1T:J. I'Iiddle of
louer :ioi~t:
o.65~ - 16.6mm. End of lower .ioint: G. nss" - 21. 7m'. Ton of
bell: o.S)O" - 21.6:'nll.
The wc..ll thickness of the five-keyed clarinet is as
follmm:
Upper .ioint: o.d. of 1.103"(28.0nm.) less i.d. of
0.561"(14.2nn.) Upper half of lower joint: o.d. of 1.134"(28.8:nm.)
less i.d. of 0.567"(1L~.4mm.) Lower-nost joint at thickest part:
o.d. of 1.673"(42.5m:n.) less i.d. of 0._568"(14.4mm.)
\lall thickness = 0. 542" ( 13. 8m:c.)
T = 0 567" ( 14. 4:-:m )
?-
= 1.105"(28.1mm.) --=:;::-
-
12
practical level.
The keys were forged from solid, square-section brass of
high
quality. They were beautifully engineered for their
purpose--deep at
the fulcrum, and flattened out at the upper end to an
uncompromisingly
rounded finger touch. A factor contributing to the stability of
these
and other early clarinet keys was the use, from the beginning,
of thick
brass wire for the fulcrum pins. They were usually bent into a
loop
at one end for their easy removal (Appendix A, Ex. 6).3 When
there-storer first examined the five-keyed clarinet, felt pads were
found on
two of the keys (Appendix A, Ex. 15).
The Mouthpiece
The early boxwood or ebony mouthpiece was small and quite
point-
ed, with a very narrow, tapered aperture and a long lay. The
reed was
correspondingly small, narrow and hard. It was generally tied on
with
string, as is still the practice in Germany.4 Early mouthpiece
design
can be very misleading, since almost any mouthpiece can be made
to work,
somehow or other, with almost any instrument. Based on the
writer's
observations, it is rare to have a mouthpiece that was probably
in use
with its original instrument.
3E:ric Halfpenny, "Early English Clarinets," The Galpin Society
Journal, XVIII (March 1965), PP 50-51.
4Anthony Baines, Woodwind Instruments and their History (London:
Faber and Faber Limited, 1957), p. 300. -
-
13
The Reed ---
The early clarinet reed was intended to be tied on with
cord,
For that reason, many early mouthpieces had shallow grooves
turned just below the slot in the table, Unlike modern reeds, which
extend nearly
the entire length of the mouthpiece, early reeds were fitted to
a table
that was recessed at the level of the lowest groove (Appendix A,
Ex. ?). This limited the total length of the reed, which was cut to
fit a par-
ticular mouthpiece recess,5
Eric Halfpenny offers further valuable information on reed
design:
So far as I am aware, no contemporary reeds survive in a fit
enough state to give any clear idea of the scrape favoured by the
original players. Lays appear to be on the whole rather heavy,
which is perhaps understandable since the small reed is expected to
drive the instrument at its lowest frequencies. Experiment suggests
that the scrape should be flat and sgallow but that the tip should
be heavier than the modern norm,
One of the earliest descriptions of the clarinet reed is in
Backofen's tutor of 180), In it, he describes how some
clarinetists thinned the reed down towards the tip and others made
the reed of
equal thickness directly to the tip.? Muller, writing later (ca.
1825), says that it is wrong to believe that a fine tone comes from
a reed that is almost equally thick all along. It makes the
pianos
risky, and the high notes piercing. On account of the difficulty
of
5Halfpenny, P 46.
6Ibid,, PP 46-4?.
?Baines, p, )00,
-
bl~wing such a reed, the mouthpiece-lay has to be very close. It
is
much better to thin the reed down towards the tip. This will
enable
14
a more open lay to be used, making for more expressive playing,
finer 8
nuances, and the taking of less breath.
-
CHAP'IER III
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Early Tutors and Important Makers
With many musical instruments, it is difficult, if not
impossible,
to pinpoint their date of inception and the individuals directly
in-
volved. This problem is not so great with the five-keyed
clarinet.
As stated above, Barthold Fritz is credited with being one of
the
first to add two keys to the three-keyed clarinet around 1750.
The
earliest known surviving five-keyed clarinet is housed within
the col-
lection of the Keighley Museum. It was built by Thomas Collier
of Lon-
don and is actually dated 1770.1
Even before this date, clarinets were available far purchase
in
England. During the mid-1750's, such provincial centers as Bath
and
Oxford sold English-made instruments.2 According to Carse,
principal
tutors and important makers were now beginning to appear:
The five-keyed clarinet remained for some time the standard
type; it was for this simple instrument that the following tutors
were written:
c. 1780-82. Vanderhagen (Paris). c. 1800. Compleat Instructions
(London).
1F. Geoffrey Rendall, The Clarinet: Some Notes upon its History
and Construction (London: Ernest Benn Limited, 1954), p. 71; Eric
Half-penny, "Early English Clarinets," The Galpin Society Journal,
XVIII (March 1965), P 4).
~alfpenny, p. 4).
15
-
1803. 1811. 1813.
c. 1820.
Backofen (Leipzig). Fr~hlich (Bonn). Antolini (Milan). Clarinet
Preceptor (London).
16
The list of makers would be a long one if every name which is
found on a five-keyed clarinet were included. The following is a
selection from many names which occur on instruments made between
1775 and 1825:
Astor (London) Goulding (London) Cramer (London) Metzler
(London) Grenser (London) Embach (Adorf) Eisenbrant (Gottingen)
Martin (Paris)
Baumann (Paris) Winnen (Paris) Amlingue (Paris) Rottenburgh
(Brussels) Willems (Brussels) Raingo (Mons) Tuerlincks
(Malines)3
From the above, the period 1770 to 1825 gives all indication
of
being a time when five-keyed clarinets were manufactured and
used. It
was also a time when the instrument was becoming recognized for
both its
orchestral and soloistic qualities.
Use Within the Orchestra - -
While clarinet parts were becoming common during the last
quarter
of the eighteenth-century, they were by no means universal.
Parts oc-
cur in most of Mozart's operas, but in only a few of his later
sympho-
nies. Haydn's last twelve symphonies contain them as well as
operas by
Salieri, Bianchi, Piccinni, and Pa1siello. There was clearly
some un-
certainty at first as to whether the clarinets were to be
regarded as
additions to the already established group of woodwinds or as
substi-
tutes for the oboes. Many composers wrote no oboe parts in the
move-
3Adam Carse, Musical Wind Instruments (London: Macmillan and
Company, 1939), P 156.
-
17
ments in which they included clarinets.4
Slowly, the "Classic" clarinet was making inroads into the
many
parts of Europe and on the Continent. Rendall describes its
ava1la-
bility in England:
It is not improbable that many of the early players were, if not
Germans, of German extraction, converted oboists or double-handed
players By 1790 probably many provincial towns could pro-duce a
local player to support the imported London musician. A London
directory of 1794 supplies some statistics of the numbers of
wind-players at that date. Clarinets number 26, bassoons 49, flutes
20, oboes 36, serpents 5, and horns 36.5
It was in Mannheim, Germany, that the possibilities of the
clar-
inet as an expressive instrument were first realized. By the
1750's,
the Elector's orchestra, under Johann Stamitz, had acquired an
immense
reputation for sensitivity and refinement. The Mannheimers did
not,
as is speculated, invent the crescendo and diminuendo, for which
they
were famed. They did, though, carry gradation of tone and
expression
to a degree undreamed of before. The early clarinet was an
excellent
instrument for such purposes. Many clarinetists could control
dynamic
levels to the point of overshadowing the many imperfections of
the
instrument.6
The Mannheim orchestra was particularly distinguished, being
unanimously considered the finest in Europe. It had greater
depth in
4Adam Carse, "The Clarinet in the Eighteenth Century," The
Sackbut, II (October 1921), p. 20
.5aendall, p. 78. 6 Ibid., P 79.
-
18
all sections, especially the winds, than was customary. It was
here
that Mozart first became acquainted with the clarinet as an
orchestral
instrument. "Oh, if we only had clarinetti!" he writes (December
3, 1778). "You cannot think what a splendid effect a symphony makes
with flutes, oboes, and clarinets."?
Originally the clarinet was, as the name shows, closely
allied
to the trumpet; the soft tones of which, skillfully applied,
were al-
most identical to the clarinet. In older scores--even some of
Mozart's--
the clarinets were sometimes placed with the brass instruments.
Slowly
they were transferred to the woodwinds and finally u~ed
independently.8
Early Performers
Two of the first great clarinet virtuosi to perform on the
five-
keyed clarinet were Joseph Beer (1744-1811) and Franz Tausch
(1762-1817).9 Joseph Beer (sometimes known as Baer) was born in
Bohemia. He spent much of his prime in Paris as a clarinetist to
the Duke of Orleans.
For him, Karl Stamitz (Johann's son) wrote the majority of his
concertos between 1770 and 1784. In addition, Beer wrote a few
concertos himself.
His particular importance lies in the use of the clarinet as a
brilliant
solo instrument and the formation of a typically French school
of playing.
7otto Jahn, Life of Mozart, 3 vols., translated from German by
Pauline D. Townsend-rL0ndon: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1891), I, p.
378.
B:rbid.
9Pamela Weston, Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (London: Robert
Hale, 1971), PP 31, 44.
-
19
There is every evidence that Beer's style was vastly different
than
that of Tausch. The latter put beauty, expression, and gradation
of
tone first; Beer, we may infer, placed them a good second to
brilliance
and facility. 10
' Another virtuoso was Jean Xavier Lefevre, the Parisian
clari-
netist/composer who lived from 1763 to 1829. Prolific as a
composer
of concertos, sonatas, trios, and duets for the instrument, he
also
wrote the official clarinet tutor for the Paris Conservatory in
1802.
Lefevre is credited with being one of the first to add a sixth
key
(df'kfl') to the five-keyed clarinet in 1791.11 Even before this
date, though, F. de Castillon wrote about a clarinetist who passed
through
Berlin in 1779 with a six-keyed clarinet on which he could play
all 12
of the scales.
One of the greatest of all early clarinetists was the
Austri~1
virtuoso Anton Stadler, for whom it is said that Mozart composed
his
Clarinet Quintet (K. 581) and Concerto (K. 622). He was
principally known for his beauty of tone and is said to have
performed the Mozart
Clarinet Concerto on a slightly modified version of the
five-keyed
clarinet.13
1 ~endall, P 80 11 oskar Kroll, The Clarinet (New York:
Taplinger Publishing Co.,
1968), P 22. -12Heinz Becker, "Die europS.ische Klarinette. I
Allgemeine Ges-
chichte." Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, VII (1958), p.
1010. 13weston, P 51.
-
20
The Five-Keyed Clarinet in Concert
During the summer of 1975, the writer had the unusual
opportunity
of giving concerts and lectures at European museums in Germany
and Hol-
land. Original clarinet sonatas, dating from the time of the
five-keyed
clarinet, were performed. Dowell Multer, Head of Keyboards at
the State
University College, Brockport, New York, assisted.
The above concerts were made possible through the help of
Clemens
von Gleich, Head of Musical Instruments at the Haags
Gemeentemuseum and
Christian Vaterlein, Assistant Curator of Musical Instruments at
the
Stuttgart WUrttembergisches Landesmuseum. Programs of the
concerts and
a review by the Stuttgarter Nachrichten are shown in Plate 3 on
pages
21-22, Plate 4 on pages 23-24 1 and Plate 5 on page 25. At both
events,
the writer's five-keyed clarinet was used. For the
Gemeentemuseum con-/ /
cert, a Sebastien Erard pianoforte served as the accompanying
instrument.
It was built in 1808 for Queen Juliana, wife of Louis Bonaparte.
At the Stuttgart Landesmuseum concert, a Johann Andreas Stein
fartepiano, dated
1778, was used.
At the completion of the above, the writer was permitted to
make
tape recordings with historic European keyboards for inclusion
in this
dissertation. Research Specialist Schaeffer at the Frankfurt (am
Main) City University Library; Fritz Thomas, Chief Restorer at the
Deutsches
Museum, Munich; and, Vaterlein, assisted with the tapings. These
gen-
tlemen devoted much time and effort to the author's project; in
many in-stances, arranging for the recording equipment, keyboard
preparation,
-
I :i
\1 v
Haegs Gmeentemueeum, Muziekefdeling - Stadhouderslaen 41
---------------------------------------------------------
Muziek op historische instrumenten
13 juli 1975, om 15.00 uur
Muziek voor klerinet en hamerklevier rand 1600 door:
David Glick klarinet
Dowell Multer hamerklevier
(Dit programma is tevens bewijs van toegangl
. ' ' ~ l
\.
- 2 -
P r o g r a m m a
Xavier Lef~vre (1763-1629)
Johann Wanhal (1767 - 1613)
Samuel Friedrich Heine (1764-1821 J
Senate nr. 5 voor klarinet Allegro ma non troppo Adagio Rondo
Pastorale
Senate in Bes gr. voor klerinet en hamerklavier Allegro moderato
Adagio cantabile Rondo allegretto
Sonata voor klarinet en hamerklavier Allegro Andante Rondo
X ~
nq rn C) (1)
= (1) (1) ::i c+ (1)
~ rn (1) c = .
1-3 ::r (1)
X PI ~ (1) .
z (1) c+ ::r (1) li
~ PI ::i p..-rn .
~ ~ 1...,.)
~ 0 ~ PI = 0 1-iJ PI y c ~
.......
1...,.)
.....
'\0 .....,
1...1'1
0 0 ::i 0 (1) li c+
PI c+
c+ ::r (1)
'j'
1\)
-
I
I,)
'. l:
-
,, \',!' ,,
.,.
" ---
~ - --
- 3 -
o e i n s t r u m a n t e n
Vleugel ven Erard Freres, Parijs 1808 Br~leen Koninklijk Paleis,
Amsterdam De vleugel die bespeeld wordt, is een instrument dat op
spe-cials bestelling van Lodewijk Napoleon in 1808 werd vervaardigd
door de gebroeder Jean-Baptiste en Sebastien Erard te Parijs. Hun
pianofabriek, opgaricht in 1777, 1as een van de bekendste ter
wereld. Bij dit zeer fraai uit~evoerde empire-instrument vallen de
bronzen medaillons en endere ornamenten op die aan de zijwanden, de
drie paten en de pedaallier zijn eangebracht. Speciale eendacht
trekt de uitvoering van de frontwand achter het toetsenbord. De
ingelegde glasp~aat is voorzien van een rijke beschildering van de
hand van Antoine Rascalon, die oak decoreties van diversa
keizerlijke meubelstukken op zijn naam hoeft steen. De in goud
uitgovoerde voorstellingen (griffioenen en plentmotievenl omlijsten
het naambord Ererd Freres. De vleugel bezit vier pedalen en een
kniehevel. Afgezien van het gabruikelijka dempings- en una
corda-pedaal kunnen hicrdoor spe-cials luit-, pianissimo- en
fagoteffecten worden gerealiseerd. Hoewel deze vleugel
waarschijnlijk voor Hortense de Beauharn~is, de echtgenote van
Lodewijk Napoleo~ is besteld, heeft zij er geen plezier meer van
gehad. Teen hij werd efgeleverd had zij Nederland reeds verlaten.
Hear instrument bleef vrijwel onge-bruikt echter in het Paleis op
de Dam. Door restauretie is de vleugal thans weer bespeelbear
geworden. Klarinet, Adorf ca. 1800 Hct instrument bezit vijf
kleppen en werd rend 1800 in Adorf !Vogtlendl verveardigd.
- 4 -
U i t v o a r e n d e n
David Glick
Bij het internationael muziekconcours 1973 in Munchen ontving
Oavid Glick de eerste prijs voor klarinet, Dok als musicoloog heeft
Glick bekendheid weten te verwerven. Het thema voor zijn
proefschrift is de historische ontwikke-ling van de klerinet.
Dr. Dowell Multer
Dowell Multer is leraar voor piano aan het State University
College in Brockport (V.S.l. Zijn speciale interesse op het gebied
van de muziekweten-schap gaat uit near de pedelen bij het
hemerklavier en de piano in de 19e eeuw.
~ \,_.) .--..
0 0 ::s c+ t-J ::s s::: (1) p..
..........
~~'
I'
if. I o
I I,
i ~~ I
N N
-
.,,
I, tl
~.
.~. -~ ---h----.. ------ ------- -
,;
Wiirttembergischcs LandtsmusPum Stuttgart Altes Schloll
MUSJK AUF HISTORJSCI!F.N INSTRUMENTEN
20 .. Ju I i 1975
II Uhr
Musik auf Klarinctte unci HammPrklavier um 1800
David Glick Dowell Multer
Klarinettc Hammerklavier
Dieses Programm herechtigt zum Eintritt.
: ~ '
f" \,
~-------------
-r- ---- ---~-- .. . .. ~ , - '""~..,.,w~ ~ "l"' I I
P r og r a m m
Xavier Lcf~vre (1763 - 1829)
.Johann W;mhal (1767- 1813)
Samuel Friedncl} Heine (1764- 1821)
- . -lo.,..
5. Sonate fiir Klarinette
Allegro rna non troppo Adaf:iO Rondo Pastorale
Sonate fiir Klarinette und Hamnll'rklavier
AIIPgro moderato Adagio cantabile Rondo allegretto
Sonatl' fiir Klarinette und Hammelklavier
Allegro Andante Rondo
--~- _.............._ _____ _
1
1 t
:c ~ ~= c+ ~ c+
-
~-~--;-:.;_'!-.,.._.-~.~--- --:::-...
-----------... --...... ---'--------...... ____ _
Instrument
Hammerflti~:cl, Inv. -Nr. 4.185
Der Hammerf!U~cl hedeutet tinc WPitcrentwicldung dC's Cembalos.
F.r wurdc Pl''-'imals 1709 von Cristofori in Florenz
konstruicssert. Diese "Deutsche" oder "\\'itncr 1\lerhanik"
i>chcrrschte den Pianufortebnu in Deutschlancl his zur Mitte
cfps 19. Jahrhunderts. in Wiln sogar bis ins frlihe 20 ..
Jahr-hundett, und ist rlamit in .qr in Augsi>ur~: t:itig;, wo
Mr;zart hei seinem Bcsuch .1777 seinP Instrunwntc kenr11'n und
au11erordentliclt seh:itzf'n lr:rntc. :"~itch seincm Tocle \"vrlr
gt(' scinr, Tochter Nannette (:cr-heiratet mit dem Pianisten
Strf.'ichcr. und Schillers) 1793 die Firma Sl
-
PLATE 5 Review by the Stuttgarter Nachrichten of a July 20, 1975
Stuttgart Concert.
Empfindsames auf alten lnstrumenten
Auch wihrend der Sommerferienzeit er-freuen sich die
Sonntagvormittagskonzerte im Alten SchloB gro.Ber Beliebtheit.
Mu-sikexperten, Liebhaber und vor allem viele Touristen. Besucher
.:les Wiirttem-bergischen Landesmuseums, fanden sich in der
Musikinstrumentenabteilung ein. Ein Hammerfliigel, von Jean Andre
Stein in Augsburl 1778 konstruiert, und eine Kla-rinetta mit fUnf
Klappen aus Adorf im Vogtland vom Jahre 1800 wurden gegen-
~hrichten
stindlic:be Zeugniue vergangener Zeiten. DowP.Jl Multer von der
Universitit Brodl-port (USA), mit einer Studentengruppe auf
Studienfahrt in Europa, spielte auf dem Hammerklavier, David Glick
begleitete ihn auf der K.larinette. Die Werke, zwei
Kla-rinettensonaten aus der Beethovenzeit mit gediegen kantablen
Melodien, vermittelten das Fluidum der empfindsamen Musik-epoche
und erinnerteo an bekannte Vor-bilder zwischen Dittersdorf und
Weber. Die Komponistennamen, so gut wie un-bekannt: Samuel
Friedrich Heine aus Sachsen und Johann Wanhal aus Bohmen.
Interessant: Die belden Klarinettensona-ten, die zur Auffilhrung
kamen, liegen im Druck, von amerikanischen Editoren nach. 1946
verlegt, vor. Tedmische Auffiihrungs-probleme wurden zu :aeginn von
den Aus-fi.ihrenden diskutiert, lier Fliigel stand in der
historischen alten Stimmung, also einen Halbton zu tief; di!Sbalb
mW3te tran-
sonil~rt werden. Die natiirlicbe, aufgelok-kertP. ~ ameribDtsche
Art der Prii-sentation wurde vom Publikum gefeiert.
ArnoFuchs
EXPRESSION ON OLD INSTRUMENTS
\
l l I
' , ~
I During summer vacation the Sunday morning concerts in the Old
Castle enjoy great popularity. Music experts, lovers and above all
many
" tourists, visitors to the Wurttemberg State Museum, find
themselves
25
in the Musical Instrument Department. A grand piano, constructed
by Jean Andre Stein in Augsburg in 1778, and a clarinet with five
keys, built in 1800 in Adorf in Vogtland, became the objective
witnesses of past times. Dowell Multer, from the University of
Brockport (USA) on a study trip to Europe with a student group,
played the piano, David Glick accompanied him on the clarinet. The
works, two clarinet sona-tas from Beethoven's time with pure
cantabile melodies, transmitted the atmosphere of the sensitive
[empf'ind.samen] era and brought to mind well-known model-composers
between Dittersdorf and Weber. The com-posers' names, almost
unknownz Samuel Friedrich Heine of Saxony and Johann Wanhal of
Bohemia. Interestingz both of the clarinet sonatas, which were
performed, were presented in the press by American editors after
1946. Technical performance problems were discussed by the
per-formers; the piano was in the historical old tones, thus a
half-tone too low; therefore, the pieces had to be transposed. The
natural, loose, typically American kind of presentation was enjoyed
by the public.
Arno Fuchs
-
26
and taping sessions before and after museum hours. The following
Key-
boards were used: 1) A Grand Pianoforte built by John Broadwood
of London and owned by Felix Mendelssohn. It is dated 1820 and
housed
at the City University Library of Frankfurt (am Main), Germany.
2) A Tangentenflugel (Tangent Grand Piano) built by Frederic
Schmahl of Regensberg, Germany. It dates ca. 1800 and is housed
within the col-
lection of the Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany. 3) A Grand
Forte-piano built by A. Ziegler of Regensberg, Germany. It dates
ca. 1800
and is housed at the Deutsches Museum. 4) A Single Manual
Italian Harpsichord built by F.rancisci Patari from the Dukedom of
Ongaro. It
dates 1506 and is housed at the Deutsches Museum. 5) A Grand
Forte-piano built by Johann Andreas Stein of Augsburg, Germany. It
is dated
" 1778 and housed within the collection of the Wurttembergisches
Landes-
museum, Stuttgart, Germany.
The above instruments were adjusted and tuned as well as their
condition allowed. Photographs of the keyboards and a detailed
analy-
sis, prepared by Multer, is included (Appendix D) plus a tape
record-ing of the author and excerpts of the literature performed
(Appendix c).
-
CHAPTER IV
I
SOME ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE ON THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET
Acoustical Problems
Clarinet literature written during the last quarter of the
eighteenth through first quarter of the nineteenth-century can
be
successfully performed on modern instruments. It is
principally
through the work of scholars and concerned publishers that much
of
the music is now easily obtainable.
To many musical societies and organizations, a return to
this
literature in a modern context is not enough. These groups
contin-
ually create and support the necessary conditions for a return
to
earlier music on original instruments or accurate copies of the
period.
In this chapter, the writer will offer some suggestions
rela-
tive to performance on the "Classic" clarinet and its connection
with
ca. 1800 keyboard instruments. It must be kept in mind that many
of
the following comments are of a highly subjective nature.
Probably the greatest challenge on any early instrument is that
of intonation. An exceptional amount of effort is required to
control
its many variations. While different opinions exist regarding
early
clarinets, one point remains a fact: by our modern standards,
these
instruments had poor intonation in the low (chalumeau) register
and were generally acceptable in the middle and high registers.
Quality tone and expressive playing was possible and could be
pleasing when
27
-
28
done well.
Not every critic or musician had the opportunity of hearing
out-
standing clarinetists. In many instances, quality and standards
greatly
varied. An anonymous author {said to have been c. L. Junker), in
his Musikalischer Almanach of 1783 wrote of a clarinet player named
Wagner
and his instrument as follows: "Playing this instrument, which
can sound
so softly and sweetly, is beset with difficulties which if not
overcome
can result in the most indescribable coos and squeaks!"
According to
Burney {1772), pure intonation was not to be expected from the
wind in-struments of the 18th century: "I know it is natural to
those instruments
to be out of tune."1
Tuning problems seem to occur with the greatest frequency in
the
low register of the "Classic" clarinet. Here, the available
number of
cross-fingerings and ability to manipulate pitch is limited.
Pitch
problems are generally much more manageable in the middle and
upper reg-
ister where more than one fingering is usually possible for a
given note.
Lef~vre described, in 1802, the following tones on his six-keyed
clarinet as impure: b too high, natural too low, #' too high, b'
too
../If ....H' high, too low, f too high, ~ too high, and~ too
high. Al thOUf'h his instrument had six keys, its design was
basically that of the five-
keyed clarinet.2 Even the great Anton Stadler complained about
diffi-
1Adam Carse, Musical Wind Instruments {London: Macmillan and
Company, 1939), P 157. ----
2Heinz Becker, "Die europS.ische Klarinette. I Allgemeine
Ges-chichte." Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, VII {1958), p.
1010.
-
29
cult and awkward passages to Mozart. To this, Mozart replied:
"Have
you the notes on your instrument? To be sure they are on it.
Provided
they exist it is your concern to produce them.") For
the,performer on early clarinets, a careful analysis of
pitch inconsistencies is a crucial step in achieving quality
perfor-
mance. A close examination and comparison of the Conn Clarinet
Test
for the five-keyed and modern clarinet, shown in Plate 6 on page
30
and Plate 7 on page 31, plus the Intonation Chart, shown in
Plate 8
on page 32, will hopefully assist. The above tuning problems
experi-enced by Lef~vre were found to be nearly identical to those
on the
' writer's five-keyed clarinet. The only difference was on the
~
' Lefevre found this pitch to be flat, while the writer found it
to be
in-tune. A further examination of the Intonation Chart in Plate
8
shows that pitch variations generally follow a similar pattern
for
the modern and "Classic" clarinet, with the five-keyed
instrument
obviously deviating to the greatest degree from the norm.
Careful reed adjustment is one of the methods by which quality
in-tonation can be achieved. It is critical in mastering the
"Classic"
clarinet and developing its distinctive tone quality. Reeds must
be
hand-fashioned and follow the exact contour and size of the
earlier
mouthpieces. They should also be sufficiently flexible for the
nee-
essary pitch adjustments on the problem notes.
3P.amela Weston, Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (London: Robert
Hale, 1971), P 51.
-
U(S __ WEJ.c.: FW 5 iW . . . ~ - . ---
a . l = .a ~!.. - -- .!' ....... ____
PLATE 6. Intonation Profile of Five-Keyed Clarinet.
CLARINET TEST C. G. Conn, Ltd.
.,hke Boxwood Clarinet Model 5-Keyed, ca. 1800 Serial Number
Date1~ctl6Time 3130
Test 1 r,::.;:..;:.;,=~~===-~ Test 2 ~:...:,..;;~"-!.~!~~~ Test
3 ~""'-.....,.."'"""'"-'-__._~
Temperature 72 Degrees Hum1dity 53 % Loudness Approximate M. F.
Chromatic Stroboscope ~ Observer Lynn Krenzer Mouthpiece CoPY of
Original Barrel 61 rnm with 2-b.m iHr Remarks: Miss Lynn Krenzer, a
senior in the Rush-Henrietta Schoo District, assisted in the above
tests.
The performer did not ob-serve the Stroboconn Scan-ning Unit
during the testa.
Pitches not tested were not on the instrument or could not be
produced by the per-former,
Measurements
Mus1c1an David A. Glick No M
2 liioco,.,ooo 1 -1-=-1 -+-~..;lii;.:o;..;;.o
o:-...;;o..:o..:o-~1 ~ -
3 illlo oo.5:lo oo 1 ~-4 iiooo ooo 1 1 :!> eo oo o oo ? e
7
8
10
II
0 00 00 ~
000 I ,
3 .. .. DCI' I
3 ..1 ~w 1
3 ..J ~ I
12~~t7 .1 3 .l
'!ll 14~~~4 . 22 .. 1 t..U.
0 ... 0 OOJil !I ~ 1!1~~. 3 'IIi
~w 0 e 0 OOJil :!> \U..
18 .-. ~ 3 -~-w I
0 0 0 HJ :!> til 17 .-.. 3 .....-;
- "00' I o ~FR :!> U 18~, 3 ~
-oo I 0 OOfR :!> U
10 ~ 3 -vt I
o om ~ tL zo- 3 ,..
yotf I _,.
21 --- 3
CENTS Avr RtdRta
1+2 f+-15 +1t 1+40
l 50 +SC 'iO f+-11 +2ff+-10 +10
f+-1 c; +2' 24 +21 F' !+-SO +5C !+-50
+1S
B ~.+~~0 +1? E 1 0 1 0
IB E
E IB E
I e 1+46 +'iCf+-'iO +45
F'\ LFll.9 l'!. 1.1 o ~ 0 t!}_2 +2 tt")O
F' F' 1-9 -12 10 I~ f+-24 +1 5ft24
+ti 1+45 +30 -10 +22
l C. 16 +2Cft24 +20 0\
... ~+4 -2 -'i "\ 10 -~ 1'5
... B 13 -1 18 ~ -JL +~ '{!_ F' ~ 24 +21 2.5
E 11 +11 12 Itt ... l 2} +2 11-25 ID\ 0 +2 2
l'r. I GIJ fl-2 +4 1+4 l D ftq +1 11-1 IT' c lt-21 +2 lt-20
I~ ~12 +CJ lt-12
1m F' 11 -9 12 t- B ro -1 7 tTn E..-Jtl -;;:;~
-1 -33 -1 +J~ +2 1+4' +2L +1 +2 +1 +3 +10 +21 11 +11 -3 -11 -7
-2
s CIJ ... ~
-
5 ltu .as .!e I". Jlli--- ... llfb!2 - - sa PIIJ e - 1-
PLATE 7. Intonation Profile of Buffet Bb Clarinet,
,... I
CLARJNtT TEST C. G. Conn, Ltd.
Wake Buffet Model R. c. Serial Number 15605 Daft1l/2Q?l1ime 1t
oo P.M.
Test 1 Test 2 t-=-:...L::~"-7"~::.::...~~ Test 3
1-""~~"-7"-=..L.~~
Temperature 72 Degrees Hum1dity 52 % Loudness Approximate M,F.
Chromatic Stroboscope 2490 Observer Lynn Krenzer Mouthpiece 7-P
Large Bore Barrel 64 ITIITI Remarks:
Pitches not tested were not on the instrument or could not be
produced by the per-former.
Measurements Musician David A, Glick No.-----
M COlTS AvE RtL Rta 2 liiio oo.,..ooo 1 -I Rliiio 00 000 I ~
-
.. l~~iiiO;_;O::;.:O:;:_M!J.;.0..:::0.;.0-.,:1~
~-~4~~iiio-o~o~~o~o~o--~1~ 1 ~~~~eo~o~o~o~o~o~~~~~f
~~~~0;..:0~0::....~0..:::0~0--~1~ ,
7 e 00 000 I .-oo
I
I
10
3 W I
10 o eom ! ~
L..c.- ---21 ""Df1 I
a. -101-10-9 ~ -1 1-1 -1 BHt-1 1 1+1
+2 I+ 44 +iol+9 1+10 +2 ~2 +2
c l+o ~11 +O
B +101+11 12 IE. +101+0 +O '9 +121+10 10 E +26 +24 +26
"B .:ro ;;a- ;:n E -16 20 1 'i 9 1+1 +4 2 E 0 +1 1
E~o~-+?
c . ? .A _r, r-.;~12 141+12
It 0~!+:1 ~ f - - -
r. 8 2 2 [Mil-lO 1011-il F'\0 1 0 r. a,. 1 r'i lt-'i
IDa 10 11 10
11 ~ 1 +6 I +6 lei 11 +O +11
m. f(l. 'i + + 1 0 .. 1+8 + + rr. c +~ +2 44 ft\~ 1+2 f-:+4
rm r -10-8 -8 ~ e .. -1 -1 -1 m. E:.l-10 -8 -o
-10 -1
0
+7
+10 +2
I..J.J.
+11 +0 +11
+2~ -10 -1 +2
0
l ... i
+1 +2
+1~
0 +6 +
-
... ,,
f !;:" c+ .... g !; () !J It * :?
~ ~ '! ,_.
'< c+ II
t OJ
~ Cl 0
i 1-'-(/) 0 ::s
0 H) c+ :::r (l) H ::s c+ 0 ::s Ill c+ 1-'-0 ::s 0 H)
'i 0 Cl .....
~ 1-'-::s (l) c+ (/)
. ' ...
l:l
I~ I
i '
' i 1,, i
~ N
-
33
Whatever fingering chart is used, whether from a source book
or early tutor, it should serve only as a guide. Since there was
no
standardization in early 1800 clarinet design, suggested
fingerings
may not necessarily be the best. This is especially true for the
upper-
middle and upper register. Experimentation with a Stroboconn
Tuning
Unit or similar device will help the performer arrive at his/her
own
set of fingerings.
While five-keyed clarinets vary, their mouthpieces do so to
an
even greater degree. Many craftsmen built mouthpieces to meet
the
specifications of a particular instrument, performer, or
ensemble. It
is essential, therefore, that the player respect the mouthpiece
dimen-
sions when making the reed. Without this consideration, the
distinc-
tive tone quality of the instrument will, most likely, not be
realized.
The following can be expected from an original five-keyed
clarinet in
playing condition:
The tone should speak easily and clearly in the middle and
upper
register. There will be some lack of clarity, or definition, in
the b #' low register. This will be most noticeable on the ~ ~ E ,
E ,
b' ..JI' ~ , and e;, After about one month of practice, the
characteristic
sound of the instrument will begin to develop. As compared to
the mod-
ern clarinet, the tone will be quite "reedy" and penetrating.
The low-
est tones of the five-keyed clarinet will be virtually
indistinguish-
able from those on the modern instrument. The middle and upper
regis-
ter will be light in texture, quite compact, and brilliant.
-
The small finger holes and absence of rings necessitate a
quick, accurate finger motion for developing technical
proficiency.
Legato playing and phrasing, as it is generally known, is
impossible
on the five-keyed clarinet. If the finger motion is not rapid
and
precise, the notes will not speak.
Thumb-rests were not common on clarinets during the early
nine-
teenth century. The performer may wish to carve one out of cork
or a
similar material and glue it on to the instrument. If this
method is
used, it can be easily removed at a later date.
Regardless of the type of embouchure used with the
five-keyed
clarinet, it must remain relaxed but supported. There should be
no
excessive lip or teeth pressure on the reed or mouthpiece. It
may be
necessary to place more of the mouthpiece tip into the mouth
when blow-
ing. This seems to improve the intonation and make for a
smoother
connection between the different registers.
Composers generally wrote for the "Classic" clarinet in keys
through two sharps and two flats. Obviously, technical and
mechan-
ical limitations on the instrument were a restricting factor. It
was
not until about the time of the thirteen-keyed clarinet, with
its
more sophisticated key mechanism, that the clarinet could play
flu-
ently in nearly every tonality. In many instances, earlier
clarinet
parts are diatonic and stay within the middle and upper
register.
Because of objectionable pitches, especially in the low
register, composers tended to stay away f'rom chromatic writing.
The sonata
-
35
excerpts (Appendix C) demonstrate how early clarinet parts are
con-fined to the middle and upper register. This is generally true
of
clarinet literature dating ca. 1800.
The question as to whether early clarinets were meant to be
played in mean-tone temperament, equal temperament, or both,
cannot
be definitely answered. It is well-known that the mean-tone
system
existed well into the nineteenth-century throughout Europe and
England,
and that it was well-adapted to simple keys, limited
chromaticism, and
simple modulations. In discussing the above with several
museum
curators who specialize in early instruments, no definite
answers
were given. It seems that, under the best of circumstances,
the
"Classic" clarinet can be made to play in both temperaments. If
the
reed is properly adjusted and made flexible, one's ability to
manip-ulate the many problem and out-of-tune notes is far greater
than on
the modern clarinet.
It is obvious that performers experienced difficulties with
early clarinets. During the first quarter of the
nineteenth-century,
improvements began appearing in instrument design. Although
these
technical advancements were generally for the better, the
commission
at the Paris Conservatory refused, in 1812, the more
sophisticated in-
struments because they did not want to miss the "different
character
of the tones" of the clarinets then in use. The commission
consisted , ' 4 of Mehul, Cherubini, Gossec, Sarretti, Catel,
Lefevre, and Duvernay.
4 Becker, p. 1010-1011.
-
36
That men of such stature would insist on the use of
five-and-six-
keyed clarinets, instead of the more advanced models, may give
some
indication of the uniqueness and charm of the early "Classic"
clarinet.
Use With Period Pianos
When the five-keyed clarinet is accompanied by period
instru-
ments, its most desirable qualities can be genuinely
appreciated.
This'is particularly true in the case of early pianos.
Throughout
Europe and America, many museums and private collections own
excellent
examples or fine copies of period keyboard instruments. In many
in-
stances, they are restored to their original playing condition
and
are accessible for some type of limited use.
If the modern piano is the only available instrument to ac-
company the five-keyed clarinet, it is best not to perform at
all.
Regardless of the experience of pianist and clarinetist, the
sound
of the "Classic" clarinet will generally be very dry, lifeless,
and
brittle. The tone will seem dead, constricted, and small. The
abil-
ity to project the sound will also be nearly impossible. When
music for the "Classic" clarinet is performed with period
instruments, the result is generally quite different. This is
partic-
ularly noticeable if English grand pianofortes, Viennese
(German) fortepianos, or harpsichords are used.
On the English grand pianoforte, the middle and upper registers
are
quite weak as compared to those of the modern piano. This,
however, blends
-
extremely well with the five-keyed clarinet. Neither
instrument
really "sings" in the treble register, but when combined, they
both
seem to sing. This is probably why the "Classic" clarinet
comes
across as dull and lifeless when accompanied by the modern
piano.
Long after the clarinet attack has been heard and lost, the
tone
on the modern piano persists. Since the pianoforte's tone
ceases
soon after sounding, this problem does not exist. Also, the
out-
of-tuneness usually experienced on the five-keyed clarinet is
not
nearly as obvious with earlier pianos.
Both the English grand pianoforte and Viennese fortepiano
have a certain clarity and roundness of tone that enhances the
sound
of the five-keyed clarinet. This sound quality exists, to a
large
degree, because of their peculiar actions.
37
In the Viennese action, the hammer is mounted upon the key
itself and swings in a nearly perfect arc striking the strings
with
a glancing blow. The pianoforte (English) hammer, which is
mounted on a separate rail, delivers a less circular blow than the
Viennese
action. This directness is responsible for the more sudden
accentu-
ation of the English pianoforte. Also, on the Viennese
fortepiano,
the lowest two octaves (usually FF - f) are universally noted
for their "reedy," bassoon-like dryness and penetration. This tone
qual-
ity is a perfect match for the low-register nasality of the
five-
keyed clarinet.
-
38
Like historic pianos, the harpsichord makes for an excellent
accompanying instrument. In many instances, a plucked string
tends
to sing longer than a struck one, This is because the plucking
ele-
ment does not exert a partial damping effect upon the string, as
in
the case of the piano hammer. A plucked sound has a directness
of
attack not heard on the piano. This type of attack is
characteristic
of the five-keyed clarinet, The bass of the harpsichord is
also
"reedy," like the fortepiano, Here again, the qualities of
reediness
and nasality make for an excellent blend,
Early clarinets can be played very softly. Historic pianos
can accurately match this softness to dynamic levels of ]QEE!
This is achieved by two different techniques,
Viennese fortepianos often have a stop called pianozug which
inserts a strip of soft leather or felt between the hammers and
strings.
Hammers hitting soft leather/felt create a very soft, muted
effect.
English pianofortes often have true una corda (hammers striking
one string) and due corde (hammers striking two strings) foot
pedals that shift the action and create a lovely, ethereal sound
which blends beau-
tifully with the softest tones on the early clarinet, Even
though the
two instruments are different in timbre, the softness of one
tends to
sympathize with the softness of the other,
Live performance on any earlier instrument is difficult
under
the best of circumstances. A major problem for the schooled
musician
-
39
is to eradicate the many prejudices and misconceptions
associated with these instruments. To compare the merits of the
"Classic" clarinet
with its modern counterpart is unfair and unrealistic. The
serious
performer/educator must make an effort to understand and
appreciate
the five-keyed clarinet on its own merits if quality performance
is
to be realized. It is the writer's hope that the ideas discussed
in
this chapter will assist those interested in performance on
earlier
clarinets; specifically, five-keyed instruments.
-
CHAP'IER V
CONCLUSIONS
The five-keyed clarinet enjoyed widespread use for approximately
fifty years. During the last quarter of the eighteenth through
the
first quarter of the nineteenth-century, it was available in
many parts
of Europe, England, North America and even China.
Certain woodwind craftsmen manufactured the "Classic"
clarinet
as late as the mid-nineteenth century. This was probably due to
the
fact that many performers were reluctant to change to the newer
models,
being quite content with their five-keyed instruments.
The very early clarinets of two, three, and four keys were
crude
by our modern standards. Far from popular, they contained
numerous tech-
nical problems in design. It was not until the introduction of
the five-
keyed clarinet, with its relatively high degree of
sophistication, that
the clarinet secured a position of importance in the orchestra
and as a
solo instrument. This first took place in Mannheim and continued
through-
out Europe and England.
With the increasing popularity of the five-keyed clarinet,
con-
certos, sonatas, and chamber works began to appear. Also,
touring clar-
inet virtuosi performed in England and Europe.
The "Classic" clarinet remained the standard instrument for
some
time. Several important tutors were written for it and craftsmen
began
to manufacture the instrument in large numbers. It had poor
intonation
40
-
41
in the low register and was generally acceptable in the middle
and high
registers. Two of the reasons usually given for its long
popularity was
the charm of its tone quality and the different character of its
pitches;
characteristics not found on the later, more complex,
models.
While the five-keyed clarinet has received extensive literary
at-
tention in the past, little has been written concerning the
problems of
preservation and restoration. Very few of the specimens that
exist in
museums and private collections are restored to their original
playing
condition. This is a very important point, for the writer
believes that
to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the five-keyed
clarinet one
must perform on the instrument. Proper restoration is essential
in
achieving this. Without it, any attempt at quality performance
will,
most likely, be futile.
In the course of the writer's research, several authorities
have
alluded to the widespread availability of five-keyed clarinets
in both
museums and private collections. While the writer has seen
excellent
examples of this historically important instrument, its
accessibility
seems not to be as great as generally assumed.
During the last few years, the author had the unusual
opportu-
nity of examining approximately three hundred early clarinets in
private
and museum collections in Europe, England, and North America.
From this
observation, it seems that much of the interest regarding early
clari-
nets has been with the models of two, three, and four keys;
also, the
later specimens of six through thirteen keys. Even within the
depots
of some internationally known museum collections containing as
many as
-
42
one hundred unrestored early clarinets, few five-keyed
instruments were
available.
With the ever-increasing attention given to the performance
of
early nineteenth-century literature on original instruments, it
is the
author's hope that the five-keyed clarinet will not be
neglected.
The value of live performance on original instruments can be
far-
reaching for both performer and listener. Among some of the
educational
values are: 1) Advancing the appreciation of a historically
important musical instrument that has had minimal live exposure in
the past. 2) Developing one of our vital artistic resources.
Although early clari-
nets had their origin in Europe, many outstanding craftsmen were
build-
ing five-keyed clarinets in early nineteenth-century America. 3)
Dis-playing original literature written at the time of the
five-keyed clari-
net. 4) Attempting to capture a feeling for the times. Up until
now, much of the past interest has been in the direc-
tion of pre-Bach musical instruments and literature. It is the
author's
hope that this dissertation will, in a small way, arouse the
interest of
the performer, craftsman, historian, and music educator. The
personal
rewards and knowledge gained through performance and examination
of a
much neglected musical instrument of major historical
significance can be of inestimable value.
Recommendations
Several recommendations are as follows: 1) Many museums contain
excellent examples of early clarinets. Funds for restoration are
some-
-
43
times limited, if not completely unavailable. On more than one
occa-
sion, the writer has spoken with private collectors and museum
curators
who would welcome qualified help with the restoration of their
woodwinds,
2) Many instrument collectors share the author's interest in
live per-formance on period instruments. In many cases, it is not
difficult to
arrange for the purchase or use of an early clarinet. 3)
Libraries in America, England, and Europe contain unpublished
manuscripts of original
clarinet literature dating from the time of the five-keyed
clarinet,
Many of these works are of high quality and would make an
important con-
tribution to the clarinet repertory, 4) Performance on the early
clari-net necessitates, among other things, making reeds by hand,
an embouchure
adjustment, and a comprehensive understanding of the many
problems asso-ciated with the instrument, One must, in the truest
sense of the word,
learn to "play the instrument"; favoring the problem notes, and
produc-
the distinctive sound of each clarinet, No two early clarinets
play or
sound the same, Each has its own unique personality. The writer
cannot
think of a better means by which performer/educators can broaden
their
insights, and those of others, than by live performance on an
original,
early clarinet; especially, the five-keyed instrument, 5) The
detailed examination of existing teeth marks on the original
clarinet mouthpiece
(Appendix A) by highly qualified dental surgeons can give some
new in-sights into early performance techniques,
-
APPENDIX A
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FIVE-KEYED CLARINET BEFORE AND AFTER
RESTORATION
PLUS AN ANALYSIS OF ITS ORIGinAL MOUTHPIECE
The following photographs are of both the five-keyed and
modern
clarinet. Those of the five-keyed instrument date before and
after res-
toration,
The negatives were processed by Frederick Koeng, Senior
Research
Chemist at the Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak Plus-Xpan film and
Poly-
contrast Rapid R. c. Kodabrom paper were used in the processing.
Samuel
Montesanto, Head Printer for the Greece Central School System,
screened
the photographs in a half-tone dot pattern. This was done to
increase
the quality of image transfer for photocopying.
A detailed examination of the original clarinet mouthpiece
was
prepared by three dental surgeons. They analyzed the existing
teeth
marks (see above, Ex. 8) in an attempt to help clarify how the
mouth-piece was actually used in performance.
44
-
PRACTICE LIMITED TO PERIODONTICS
FREDERICK .J. HALIK, D.D.S. AND .JOHN R. BILLEN. D.D.S .. P.
C.
ALAN M. POLSON. D.D.S. 705 TEMPLE BUILDING
ROCHESTER, N.Y. 14604
(716) 4541494
Septcnbcr 7, l9?7
AN ANALYSIS OF AN ANTIQUE CLAR1NET MOUTHPIECE
The tooth marks evident in the mouthpiece are difficult of
analysis because they represent a g1eat number of contacts rather
than the typical problem o a single incisor mark.
The basic question to be acidressed is whether this mouthpiece
was used in the traditional manner with the reed against the lower
lip and top of the mouthpiece in contact with the upper teeth or
whether it could have been played inversely, that is the lower
teeth in contact with the side opposite the reed. In essence are
the toothmarks upper or lower incisor teeth?
There are of all the n1arks evident, two basic sets: a group
horizontally placed about 7 mm. from. the tip and what looks to be
a single one about 15 mm. from the tip. Those closest to the t~p
f'Cem divided into three segments each of which is about the width
of the incisal edge of a mandibular tooth. These marks could be
consir;tent with playing the instrument inverted. It is also likely
that using the inverse method would require a shorter amount of the
tip in the mouth.
There is a groove leading from the right side of thi.s grouping
fading of to the tip which may not be related to the ma.d
-
FREDERICK .J. HALIK. D.D.S. AND .JOHN R. BILLEN. D.D.S .. P.
C.
ALLAN M. POLSON. B. D. S .. M.S.
-2-
57
possibility that the instrument could be played wilh the teeth
in contact with both sides of the nwuthpiece, that is in contact
with the reed then that lateral toothmark can be explained by
contact with the long later
-
APPENDIX B
CORRESPONDENCE FROM MUSICAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTORS
In the early spring of 1975, a questionnaire was sent to one
hundred North American musical instrument collectors and
collections
in an attempt to locate five-keyed clarinets. The names were
drawn
from a recently published survey.1 Data relating to the state of
res-
toration, physical condition, and history of the instruments was
re-
quested.
Of the one hundred institutions and individuals contacted,
sixty-
eight responded. Thirty-five of the sixty-eight had five-keyed
clarinets.
Many of the collectors said that they are planning on
restor-
ing their instruments when funds and qualified individuals are
avail-
able. Nearly all expressed an interest in the final results.
The author found it gratifying that busy and knowledgeable
peo-
ple from many different walks of life would take the time to
write de-
tailed and informative letters in response to his inquiries. The
large
percentage of returns to the questionnaire is another indicator
of the
very high level of interest in the subject of this dissertation.
Many of the responses were sent within a few weeks, and no two
people replied in the same way. Certain private collectors
volun-
1 ~ William Lichtenwanger, Chairman and Compiler, and
others,
A suaa~ of Musical Instrument Collections in the United States
and 'O"ana Ann Arbor, Michigan: Music Library Association, 1974].
-
58
-
teered much more information than was originally solicited.
One
collector gave events in our American history that included
his
specific clarinets.
The list of five-keyed instruments and their makers was nu-
merous and diverse. The following American clarinet makers
appeared
on more than one occasion: Graves & Company, Winchester, New
Hamp-
shire, 1849-1863; Asa Hopkins, Litchfield, Connecticut,
1779-1838;
Edward Riley, New York, 1814-1831; and, Wm. Whiteley, Uti