| E-flat Clarinet |
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The E-flat clarinet is a member of the Clarinet family. It is usually classed as a Soprano Clarinet , although some authors prefer to describe it as a "sopranino". Smaller in size and higher in pitch than the more common B♭ clarinet, it is a Transposing Instrument in E, playing a minor third higher than the written notes. In Italian it sometimes referred to as a ''quartino,'' generally appearing in scores as ''quartino in Mi.''See for instance, Frances Mayer, "Nineteenth Century American Band Music: The Scala Library" ''Music Educators Journal'' 45 (1959), pp. 42-46. The E clarinet is used in Orchestra s, Concert Band s, Marching Band s, and Clarinet Choir s. It plays a particularly central role in clarinet choirs, in which it carries the high melodies that would be treacherous for the B clarinet. Solo repertoire is generally very limited. In many cases E clarinet is doubled by a B clarinetist. The E clarinet is required to play at the top of its range for much of the time to take advantage of its piercing quality. In this range special, non-standard fingerings are required on most instruments to maintain good pitch. Therefore high, fast passages are often very difficult to play. The embouchure must be much tighter to achieve the brilliance of the upper register which can make the player vulnerable to squeaking. Because of the E's piercing sound, any mistakes are readily obvious to the audience. D CLARINET The slightly larger D clarinet is also found. Though in the early and mid-eighteenth century, it was one of the most common types of clarinet (see the Molter concertos below), from the end of that century to the present it has become less common than the clarinets in E, B, A, or even C. An ''Ouverture'' by Handel for two clarinets and horn were probably written for two D clarinets. D clarinets were once commonly employed by some composers to be used by one player equipped with instruments in D and E. This usage was sometimes similar to the way in which one player would be equipped with instruments in B and A, but only in the works of certain composers (e.g., Rimsky-Korsakov's ''Mlada''). In modern performance (especially in America and western Europe outside German speaking countries), it is normal to transpose D clarinet parts for E clarinet. The advantage of this practice is that the E clarinet is far more common, and the player is likely to have more facility with it. The downside of this practice is that the transposed parts will often be in more difficult keys. A composer's choice of E vs. D clarinet is often hard to discern. For instance, the original version of Arnold Schoenberg 's ''Chamber Symphony no. 1'' is for E clarinet while the orchestral version is for D. USE IN CONCERT AND MILITARY BANDS The high clarinets have been important members of military bands from at least the middle of the eighteenth century. At first, the D clarinet was the dominant high clarinet in bands. Towards the end of the eighteenth century the F clarinet took this role until the E clarinet took over beginning sometime in the second decade of the 1800s. Although the E is somewhat of a rarity in school bands, it is a staple instrument in college and other upper level ensembles. Unlike the B soprano clarinet which has numerous musicians performing on each part, the E clarinet part is usually played by only one musician in a typical concert band. This is partially because the E clarinet has a bright, shrill sound very similar to the sound of the Piccolo . It commonly plays the role of a garnish instrument along with the piccolo, and duo segments between the two instruments are quite common. Despite being a member of the clarinet family, the E clarinet is often heard playing along with the flutes, quite possibly due to its high pitch and relatively weaker low register that would be inadequate for the majority of the clarinet features in band literature. Important soloistic parts in standard band repertoire for the E clarinet include the second movement of Gustav Holst 's ''First Suite in E'' for Military Band (for two E clarinets), Paul Hindemith 's ''Symphony in B'', and Gordon Jacob 's ''William Byrd Suite''. USE AS CHILDREN'S CLARINET While most E clarinets are built and marketed for professionals or advanced students, an inexpensive plastic E clarinet dubbed the "Kinder-Klari" has been produced for beginning children's use. It has a somewhat simplified fingering system, lacking some of the trill keys and alternate fingerings. This may make it less intimidating for young beginners, but also makes it unwise as a second clarinet for amateurs or professionals, as it is sometimes advertised. The small size (hence narrower finger spacing) and lower weight also make it easier than a B instrument for a young child to play. SOLO AND CHAMBER LITERATURE FOR THE E (OR D) CLARINET Solo literature for these instruments is sparse. The following are notable: |
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