Clarinet

The clarinet emerged around 1700 when Johann Christoph Denner modified the chalumeau, a simple folk instrument, by adding a register key that allowed access to higher pitches through overblowing. This innovation created an instrument with a three-octave range—far exceeding any existing woodwind—and a distinctive tone that composers immediately exploited.

The chalumeau was cylindrical and single-reeded, producing a warm but limited sound in its low register. Denner's register key, placed to help the instrument overblow at the twelfth (rather than the octave, as flutes and oboes do), opened a second register with a brighter, more brilliant tone. The contrast between registers became the clarinet's signature characteristic.

Mozart loved the clarinet. His Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, written for virtuoso Anton Stadler in the 1780s-1790s, exploited the instrument's tonal variety and extended range. These works remain central to classical music repertoire, demonstrating what the clarinet could do in capable hands.

Technical development continued through the 19th century. Theobald Boehm's key system, adapted from the flute, improved fingering patterns. Adolphe Sax (who would later invent the saxophone) contributed improvements. German and French makers developed distinct bore shapes and mouthpiece designs, producing the two clarinet "schools" that persist today.

The clarinet found additional homes outside classical music. Klezmer, jazz, and swing all exploited the clarinet's flexibility and expressiveness. Benny Goodman bridged classical and jazz; Artie Shaw explored the instrument's lyrical capabilities. The clarinet's range and tonal variety made it adaptable to genres unimaginable to Denner.

A single key added to a folk instrument created a three-century lineage of musical development. The clarinet did not replace the chalumeau so much as transcend it, carrying forward the original concept while achieving capabilities the simpler instrument could never possess.