Soprano clarinet

A soprano clarinet is a type of clarinet that plays higher notes than instruments like the basset horn or alto clarinet. When people simply say "clarinet," they usually mean the B♭ clarinet, which is the most common kind. The word soprano can also describe clarinets in A and C, and even the low G clarinet—a rare instrument in Western music but popular in the folk music of Turkey. Some writers separate very high clarinets, like the E♭ and D clarinets, into a special group called sopranino clarinets, while others include them with the soprano clarinets.

Orchestral composers mainly write music for soprano clarinets in B♭ and A. Clarinets in C were also used from the Classical era until around 1910. Famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart sometimes used B♮ clarinets in pieces with many sharps, like in Idomeneo and Così fan tutte, but this practice stopped being common very early on. There have also been special soprano clarinets in C, A, and B♭ with curved shapes, sold under names like Saxonette, Claribel, and Clariphon.

Music expert Shackleton also mentions older types of "sopranino" clarinets in G, F, and E, as well as soprano clarinets in B♮ and A♭, which are no longer used today.

Contemporary works for clarinet in C

Some modern musicians have written special pieces just for the clarinet in C.

Richard Barrett wrote a piece called knospend-gespaltener for solo clarinet in C.

James Erber created Strange Moments of Intimacy for solo clarinet in C.