Klarinet Archive - Posting 000009.txt from 1996/09

From: Rob Breen <VB13@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Clarinet in the key of 'B'
Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 16:29:48 -0400

In a message dated 96-09-07 15:31:16 EDT, Jeff Brody forwarded:

>Please help settle an argument . I purchased a clarinet on the information
>that it was a 'C' clarinet but it plays a B when I finger a C . THe person
>that I bought it from says that there is no such thing as a B clarinet and
is
>refusing to take it back .
> The question is "Was there a B clarinet made"?
> I've tried different barrels including one off of C clarinet .
>I will forward your reply to her .
> Thanks for the help , Steve
>
>

There was an article in *The Clarinet* within the last two years about B
clarinets. It was a bit of scholarly research referring to a Mozart opera
(Cosi?) in which the original score called for *Klarinet in H*. Mozart's
musical *H* is our B-natural. The author points out that there was once upon
a time such a thing indeed as a B clarinet.

Personally, I've never run across such an animal. I can't imaging any major
manufacturer mass producing B clarinets. Indeed a C clarinet is still a
pretty rare bird.

Perhaps this horn a) was custom built in B, b) is a really sharp Bb horn, or
c) is a really flat C horn.