The Chalumeau and the Clarinet Essay - 2136 Words

This paper will explore the early instrument known as the chalumeau and the various types of instruments that have evolved from it. The chalumeau group of instruments were folk instruments that were played with a single reed and the chalumeau itself is most commonly known as the predecessor to the modern-day clarinet. The instrument has only eight tone-holes on its cylindrical bore. There are many other single reed instruments that resemble the chalumeau and were in existence during the same time period. I will be discussing the history of the chalumeau and its repertoire, similar instruments of the time, and the evolution from the chalumeau to the modern day clarinet. My sources will include scholarly articles from online databases, such†¦show more content†¦The most common of these was the soprano chalumeau, but alto, tenor, and bass versions of the instrument existed as well (Lawson). There is also evidence that there was no set key for these instruments to be pitched in. There are a few examples of surviving chalumeau to back up these claims. The first one, created by a many by the name of Liebav, is pitched in C and is 33 centimeters in length. A few more exist made by Denner and Klenig are all pitched in F and are around 50 centimeters long (Lawson). While we have surviving examples of soprano, alto, and tenor chalumeau, there are no remaining bass chalumeau for us to examine. The closest we are able to come to the bass chalumeau are three remaining instruments close to the bass clarinet in size, but they more resemble the bassoon due to their angled finger holes (Lawson). The word chalumeau itself comes to us from both Greek and Latin roots. The Greek word calamaulos means â€Å"a pipe of reed† and the Latin word calamellus translates to â€Å"little reed† (Hunt). Both words refer to the chalumeau’s use of a single-reed. Because of its resemblance to many other baroque instruments, the term â€Å"chalumeau† is also used to describe many different wind instruments in the shape of a pipe, most often resembling the recorder, that are played through the use of a single or double reed (Albert 10). For instance, the mock trumpet from seventeenth century England is classified as a chalumeauShow MoreRelatedWhat is the Clarinet?688 Words   |  3 Pagespeople think when they hear the word clarinet? When most people hear this they think it is a kind of car or a disease. In some cases if they know what a clarinet is they think of Squidward Tentacles from the popular show Spongebob Squarepants on Nickelodeon. So what exactly is a clarinet? The clarinet is a woodwind instrument and has the largest range of pitches in a woodwind section.There are thirteen different kinds of clarinet in the clarinet family. Clarinets come in many different sizes, withRead More History Of The Clarinet Essay598 Words   |  3 Pages The clarinet is a woodwind instrament consisting of a cylindrical wood, metal, or ebonite pipe with a bell-shaped opening at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end, to which a thin reed is attached. The clarinet has five different sections, the mouthpiece, the barrel, the upper section, the lower section, and the bell. The length of the entire instrument is 60 cm long. The mouthpiece section consists of a slotted cylinder, to which a reed is attached by a metal clamp called a ligature. The mouthpiece