History of the Clarinet

History | Types of Clarinet | Famous Clarinet Performers | Types of Clarinet Music

• The clarinet is a single reed woodwind instrument, unlike an oboe or bassoon which uses two reeds.
• The clarinet is thought to have originiated in Ancient Greece, Egypt, and Europe, evolving from a bagpipe.
• A special characteristic of the clarinet is its very large range, regardless of what type of clarinet.
• The first ever clarinet was said to have started in 1700 when Johann Christoph Denner added a register (octave) key to an old instrument, the chalmeau.
• Eventually, clarinets have been made out of grenadilla wood, cocobolo wood, plastic, and other woods.
• The clarinet has always been a single reed instrument. It uses a wooden/plastic reed to vibrate and create sound.