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The Orchestra / Instruments / Clarinets

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Introduction to the Clarinets

Mark van de Weil and Michael Harris
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Clarinets are known for their smooth, creamy tone: warm and resonant low down, bright and clear up high. It's plaintive, clear sound can be perfect for a romantic melody or when agitated for creating angular accented textures and effects. They can make a surprisingly loud sound or play incredibly softly. Clarinets are also associated with the sound of jazz and are perfect for producing the typically rhythmic, swooping, rippling sounds of traditional jazz and swing.

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Compare clarinet sounds.

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Listen to these two solos to compare the sound of the clarinet and its smaller relative, the E flat clarinet.
clip 1 -
A clarinet tune with bassoon accompaniment from Mahler's Symphony No 4.
clip 2 -
E flat clarinet melody from Bolero by Ravel.
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