SAXOPHONE OR CLARINET ?

SAXOPHONE OR CLARINET ?

CLARINET

The clarinet traces its origins from the ancient Egyptian tombs, the re images that reveal musicians playing the clarinet, however today even after so many years; in many Arabic nations the clarinet is still played. Similar to a flute the earliest clarinet did no have keys to cover the holes. In 1690, Johann Denner added keys and in 1843 Hyacinth Klosé, a great clarinetist, contributed the most important improvement. He added the Boehm system of rings, very similar to the ring system of the flute. He also wrote a clarinet-instruction book which introduced his fingerings system. If you decide to study the clarinet you will probably study from a Klosé book.

The clarinet is a cylindrical instrument with a conical bell, most clarinets are made of granadilla wood but you’ll also fin some of ebonite, metal or hard rubber. The wooden clarinet is made up of five separate parts; the mouthpiece, turning barrel, upper joint, lower joint and the bell.

We call the clarinet a single-reed instrument. A reed is a piece of cane (a kind of wood that resembles the bamboo) shaped as shown in the illustration. It is attached to mouthpiece by means of a clamp called a ligature. You sound a sound by blowing air through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece.

When you do this, the thin tip of the red vibrates, which in turn vibrates the column of air in the tube.

By just blowing the clarinet sounds simple, but here is what you must actually do to produce a sound.

1. Smile and stretch your lips –to form the embouchure

2. Place your bottom lip slightly over your bottom teeth so that the lip acts a cushion for the reed.

3. Place about one-half inch or more (remember the amount differs with each individual) of the mouthpiece in your mouth with the reed resting on your lower lip.

4. Rest your top teeth on the top of the mouthpiece.

5. Close the corners of your lips.

6. Blow easily into the mouthpiece, allowing the tip of the reed to vibrate.

If after all this you don’t succeed in making a sound (which often happens)

Then you are pressing the reed too hard and preventing it from vibrating. Loosen the pressure a bit and try again.

There are different kinds of clarinets but the one most common played is the B-flat clarinet. Another widely used type is the bass clarinet which curves at the top and at the bottom. The largest clarinet, which has the lowest sound, is the double bass but you rarely see this played. The A clarinet is also less frequently heard. The clarinet is a popular, important instrument in all kinds of musical groups. It is the heart of the concert and the marching band, just as the violin is the heart of the orchestra. Symphony orchestra s use the clarinet and so do woodwind groups which play chamber music (classical music which is usually written for small groups of instruments)

Dance bands both large and small feature the clarinet. The reason it is so widely used is because you can play the notes rapidly or very slowly with it. You can produce special sounds harsh or shrill, loud, soft or mellow and it blends well with other instruments. In other words the clarinet is a very versatile instrument –an instrument of many uses.

THE SAXOPHONE.

The saxophone is a very special instrument. Other instruments develop gradually over a long period of time. The saxophone hasn’t changed a lot since it was invented! In 1840, Adolph Sax did, cheeky thing which is usually done by students when the music teacher is not present in the classroom. He put a clarinet mouthpiece on a brass instrument and blew it . The brass instrument sounded like a woodwind! , to this Sax added a few keys and the saxophone was born. The instrument produced a new sound powerful, rich and mellow.

You play the saxophone in much the same way as you do the clarinet, so if you learn to play one, you’ll probably learn the other. Most saxophone players who play one, you’ll probably learn the other. Most saxophone players who play in dance bands double on the clarinet.

Saxophones like the clarinets differ in size and for each size you need a different mouthpiece. The larger the instrument, the E-flat alto, B-flat tenor and the E-flat baritone. There are three other saxophones, the B-flat soprano, C melody and B-flat bass, but they are rarely played now.

We sometimes see the saxophone in a symphony orchestra but of course symphony music written before its invention did not include saxophone parts, however more and more modern composers write parts for this instrument so that in the future, the saxophone may become a regular member of the symphony orchestra.

The saxophone blends well with both the brass and woodwind groups. Because of this, it plays a prominent role in all types of bands. School orchestras today usually include saxophonists and you know, of course that it is a key member of most jazz groups.

Here are some suggested Recordings

Copland: El salon Mexico

Enesco: Roumanian Rhapsody

Mozart: Quintet for Clarinet and strings

Ravel: Bolero

Bass: Clarinet

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

More Suggested Recordings  

Bizet: L’Arlessiene Suite (prelude)

Creston: Sonata for Saxophone

Debussy: Rhapsody for saxophone and Orchestra