Contra-alto clarinet

The contra-alto clarinet is a large clarinet that sounds a perfect fifth below the B♭ bass clarinet. It is a transposing instrument in E♭, meaning it plays an octave and a major sixth below its written pitch. This places its sound between the bass clarinet and the B♭ contrabass clarinet.

This instrument is often used in clarinet choirs and ensembles that include clarinets and saxophones. It can also be found in a wind band. While there are not many pieces written for the contra-alto clarinet in the symphony orchestra, one example is its use in the Holy Angel University (HAU) Orchestra in the Philippines.

In ensembles, the contra-alto clarinet usually plays together with other woodwind instruments, such as the bassoon, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet. It often joins these instruments in unison or adds the lower octave to their music.

History

The contra-alto clarinet was mostly developed in the second half of the 20th century, but there were a few early versions in the 19th century.

In 1829, Johann Heinrich Gottlieb Streitwolf made an instrument shaped like a basset horn that played an octave lower. Around 1890, Eugène Albert or his son made an alto clarinet in F. In 1851, Adolphe Sax tried to make a "contrabass clarinet in E♭" to replace bowed contrabass in wind bands, but it never went on sale. Around 1880, Alessandro Maldura built a contra-alto clarinet in E♭ from grenadilla wood, calling it Clarone grande.

In the 20th century, Georges Leblanc Paris made two models of contra-alto clarinets in E-flat from metal. Model 350 was curved for easier transport, and Model 352 was straight like a bass clarinet.

Other makers developed stretched models, including Henri Selmer Paris, Buffet Crampon, Conn-Selmer USA, Bundy, Buescher, Leblanc USA / Vito, Ripamonti, Martin Frères Company, and Harry Pedler, Inc.

Today's contra-alto clarinets are mainly based on the Boehm system, and Foag Klarinettenbau offers two models with the German system.

Description and technique

The contra-alto clarinet is a large clarinet that can play very low notes, starting from its low E♭ (concert G♭₁). Some models can even go lower, down to D (concert F₁) or C (concert E♭₁). To reach these notes, the instrument is longer and has extra keys that the player uses with the right thumb and little fingers, similar to a basset horn.

Modern contra-alto clarinets have a special key that automatically stops the sound. The instrument has a curved bell, usually made of metal, which helps project the sound. This bell is located at the bottom of the instrument. Players can use a peg or strap to hold the clarinet while playing, whether sitting or standing.

In orchestras, the contra-alto clarinet can play as fast as the bass clarinet. Unlike some other low wind instruments, it can play softly and loudly and use different styles of playing. In modern music, composers sometimes use it to make many notes sound at once.

Length

The contra-alto clarinet is a large instrument. Its tube, without the bell, is usually between 190 and 230 centimeters long. This size allows it to play very low notes.

Repertoire

The contra-alto clarinet is a newer instrument, so it doesn't have many pieces written for it compared to other similar instruments. It is used in many types of music from the late 1800s onward, including neoclassicism, New Music, jazz, contemporary music, and even some experimental rock.

Because there aren't many pieces written just for the contra-alto clarinet, it often plays together with other low wind instruments or provides a deep, rich sound to support higher instruments. Music written for other low instruments, like the double bass or tuba, can sometimes be changed for the contra-alto clarinet to play.

The contra-alto clarinet is also used in special groups of clarinets and in wind orchestras, where it adds depth and range to the music.

CD recordings with contra-alto clarinet

Recordings where the contra-alto clarinet plays as a solo or part of a small group are very uncommon. One CD of duets for contra-alto and contrabass clarinets was made in 2018.

• Brandon Evans, Solo Contra Alto Clarinet (Live in Brussels, 1999) (CD, 2001, Parallactic Recordings label).
• Alberto Pinton, Mirror for Contra-Alto Clarinet in the album The Visible, (CD, 2005, Moserobie, MMP, CD022).
• Teppo Salakka, Fragmented Visions (CD, 2018).
• Jason Alder and Piotr Michalowski, Contradictions: Duets for Contrabass and Contra-Alto Clarinets (CD, 2019, Creative Sources Recordings label, CS602).
• Denis Colin, Quiet men (CD, 2019, label Faubourg du Monde).
• Brian Landrus.
• Richard F. Dixon.
• John Linnell, with his band They Might Be Giants, Nanobots (CD, 2013, Lojinx label).
• Damien Sabatier, with his band Impérial Quartet, GRAND CARNAVAL (CD, 2016, Inouïe Distribution label).