Clarinets in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

Contents

Technical Development in Detail

8- and 9-key clarinets

Photo: Cross keys for Eb4/Bb5 (upper section) and Bb3/F-natural5 (lower section) on a clarinet by Cramer & Key, London, c 1806 (2002), 8 keys.


 

Though there are more keys added, this instrument is still based on the 5-key model. We have already discussed keys to extend or complete the compass of the clarinet, as well as keys which allow trilling and chromatic passages. This clarinet is an example of improving the tone of several notes to render the sound of adjacent notes more even. The purpose of using both cross keys (Eb4/Bb5 and Bb3/F-natural5) is to replace forked fingering whenever possible. They are mounted in blocks and fitted with brass pins. Like the brass leaf springs described above, they are riveted under the key touchpiece and bear directly on the wooden body.

The keys are curved and adjusted to the body to protect them from damage. The cross keys produce a strange effect on the clarinet: on a woodwind instrument the player usually opens successive tone-holes to play a diatonic raising passage. With cross keys for alternate notes the player must raise the finger and depress it on the adjacent key to give a chromatic passage. This illogical fingering can be somewhat confusing for the beginner.
 



Photo: 9-key clarinet with C #3/G#5 key, Thomas Key, London c 1815 (4532), round key-heads.


Photo: Tone hole filled with a brass tube on a clarinet by Thomas Key, London c 1815 (4532).

Photo: 9-key clarinet with C #3/G#5 key, Thomas Key, London c 1815 (80), flat key-heads.

The major disadvantage of adding keys was that this increased the likelihood of unexpected leakage, which may mean squeaking or failiure to sound during a performance. To prevent the leakage of air from tone-holes, James Wood patented in 1800 a new mechanism with brass tubes in tone-holes. This idea is taken over by Thomas Key, who lined the tone-holes under the flat round keys of this 9-key clarinet with brass. The clarinet with the square flat key-heads has the same design. Only the tone-hole for Eb4/Bb5 is situated on the right side of the clarinet above the tone-hole for C#4/G#5. The round-key instrument probably disposes the tone-holes on both sides of the instrument to prevent it from cracking. In estimating the date of such clarinets one should remember that instruments were often made for particular players who wanted to have, for example, a clarinet with a traditional square-key design. Keyhead shape does not reliably indicate the age of an instrument.

 


10 and more key clarinets

Photo: B3/F# key of a clarinet made by Stärck, London, c 1812 (930).

The note B-natural in the lower and F# respectively in the upper register have never been satisfying in tone quality and intonation. Players used to play them with different forked fingerings or tone-holes only half closed. This problem was remedied by adding another cross key. The intonation was somewhat better now, but the fingering became even more complex.

Next chapter: Details on 12-key clarinets.

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