The Bass Clarinet

The bass clarinet sounds one octave deeper than the clarinet in B^b. It had been made in several different shapes, for example bassoon-shaped or curved.The bass clarinet was invented to replace the bassoon in military bands, because musicians were searching a louder instrument with stronger bass notes.

(96) Bass clarinet in B^b, with simple system using Boehm F^#, by H. Douglas in Glasgow, c 1870 (bassoon shaped).

 (97) Bass clarinet in B^b with simple system using Boehm’s mechanism for R1 and R2, made by Boosey & Co. in London, 1901 (curved).

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Basset horns have larger dimensions than clarinets and stand mostly in G or F. Their most important characteristic is the extension of the lower section. By this, the compass of the instrument is extended downwards to its keynote. The hole in the ball-shaped bell could to be closed by the player’s knee to produce B natural.

Photo: (969) Basset horn in F, Strobach, Carlsbad, Germany, c 1800

Photo: (90) Basset horn in F by Ignazio 
Miraz, Udine, Italy, c 1830

Details of basset keys: two diatonic keys for D₃ and C₃.

Buffet System Clarinets

(120) Clarinet in B^b; Boehm system (17 keys, 6 rings). Maker: Tournier & Goumas, Paris, c 1857. 
(141) Clarinet in A; Boehm, No. 6 system (19 keys, 7 rings). Maker: Buffet Crampon & Cie., Paris, c 1923. 
(129) Clarinet in B^b, Boehm No. 7 system to E^b₃ (20 keys, 6 rings). Maker: Buffet Crampon & Cie., Paris, c 1930.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

The Müller system

(4060) Clarinet in C; 13-key Müller-type. Maker: David, France, probably Paris, c 1840. 

(111) Clarinet in B^b; 14-key Müller type. Maker: F.G.B. Bruggemann, Leyden, Holland, c 1860. 
(132) Clarinet in A; enhanced Müller type. Maker: Simiot and Brelet, Lyon, c 1845. 
(115) Clarinet in B^b/A; 20 keys. Maker: J.F. Simiot, Lyon, c 1827.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Progress in key mounting

(109) Clarinet in B^b; 13-keys. Maker: Bilton, London, c 1840. 

(2452) Clarinet in B^b; 12 keys. Maker: Thomas Key, London, c 1830. 

(937) Clarinet in B^b, 8 keys. Maker: Thomas Key, London, c 1812. 

(4061) Clarinet in C; 10 keys. Probably Britain, c 1840. 

(930) Clarinet in B^b; 10 keys. Maker: Stärck, London, c 1812.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Straight Forms

To shorten the distance between the player and the instrument even straight basset horns have slightly curved wooden barrels or metal crooks. At first, this extension of the compass allowed for two additional diatonic steps - D₃ and C₃ - whereas the chromatic pitches in between where missing. It was probably Anton Stadler (1753-1812) who added two further keys for E^b₃ and C^#₃ in cooperation with the instrument maker Theodor Lotz, thus obtaining a complete chromatic scale.

(88) Alto clarinet or tenor clarinet in F made by Cuvillier in St. Omer (France) at the beginning of the 19th century

(92) Basset horn in F made by Thomas Key in London, c 1820.

Lower section of a basset horn by G. Ottensteiner (4112) with four levers for R0 giving a chromatic extension to written C₃. The instrument was made between 1860 and 1879.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

The basset horn was probably invented as a further development of the clarinet d’amore, a special form of the clarinet with a peculiarly narrow bore and pear- or ball-shaped bell. Initially, basset horns were built in the style of the cor anglais with a sickle-shaped corpus or in an angled form.

Photo: (1708) Clarinet d’’amore in F, Cramer & Son, London, c 1810

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Albert System

(2769) Clarinet in B^b; Simple system. Maker: E. Albert, Brussels, c 1890. < 
(85) Clarinet in C; Simple system with patent C sharp and Barret action. Maker: E.J. Albert, Brussels, early 20th century. 
(2842) Clarinet in C; Simple system with patent C sharp and Barret action. Maker: Boosey & Co., London, probably 1904.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Instrument-making in Britain and on the Continent

108) Clarinet in B^b;12-key Continental. Maker: J.G.H. Backofen, Darmstadt, Germany, c 1825. 

(4063) Clarinet in B^b; 12 keys and spectacle. Maker: Johann Christopher Selboe, Copenhagen, c 1850. 
(4064) Clarinet in A; 12 keys and spectacle. Maker: Johann Christopher Selboe, Copenhagen c 1850. 
(973) Clarinet in B^b; 13-key English. Maker: J. Bray, Dublin, c 1850. 
(1035) Clarinet in B^b; 13-key English. Maker: Pask and Koenig, London, c 1850.

From the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments