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First Low C Bass Clarinet/Low C Extension?

Author: RobertWYu
Date: 2015-03-03 11:00

Hi everyone,

I was reading on the boards here about how some Shostakovitch Symphonies call for the bass clarinet extended range, such as his 4th or 7th. However, if I recall correctly, low C bass clarinets only came into mass production in the 60's, and before then there were only handmade extensions. (Speaking of which, what caused the production of low C bass clarinets?) Since Shostakovitch's 4th Symphony was written in the 30's, did bass clarinet players have to get a custom made extension to play the newly written piece? Or were there Russian bass clarinets that went down to low C back then? I'm thinking that the latter may have been true, as Shostakovitch presumably knew the range of the instruments that he wrote for and wouldn't write beyond an instrument's range. But if he didn't, did he expect a player to simply make it work, like Mahler and a bassoon low A? Additionally, since these antique extended range bass clarinets existed, why don't we see any in museums or an auctions?

Secondly. when did the double register key mechanism (the one with a vent on the neck) get invented, and when did it become widespread? All the old photos I see of bass clarinetists are of players using a single register key, and I'd imagine that it's very difficult to play some of the harder repertoire without the newer mechanism. I'm also a little surprised that whoever invented it didn't patent it, as I see all professional models have the mechanism.

Post Edited (2015-03-03 11:15)

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