"Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A"

Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A | Buffet-Crampon | 1929

Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A thumbnail 2

Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A thumbnail 3

Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A thumbnail 4

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Audio Clips

The bass clarinet has long been a part of the clarinets history, frequently used in military bands and increasingly in orchestras from the mid to late nineteenth century. The bass clarinet is pitched in B flat or A, an octave below the regular clarinet. Some bass clarinets have an extended range to low C. Sir Nicholas Shackleton Collection.

Bass clarinet

Buffet-Crampon

Paris

Europe

France

Western Europe

Instrument Data

Instrument Information

Title

Bass clarinet, nominal pitch: A

Accession Number

5122

Collection

MIMEd; Sir Nicholas Shackleton Collection

Date Information

Date Made

1929

Period

20th century; 1920s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Wolfson Gallery

Case

Woodwind case 1

Maker Information

Maker Name

Buffet-Crampon

Maker Biography

Buffet was a workshop established between 1939-44 by Jean Louis Buffet. In order to distinguish himself from his Uncle’s rival company, Buffet Jeune, the firm was renamed Buffet-Crampon.

Made In

City

Paris

Country

France

Description

Technical Description

Technical description: Blackwood with german silver crook, keywork, and bell. Five pieces: mouthpiece, crook, upper section, lower section, upturned bell. Black plastic mouthpiece marked for a ligature, "B5 (star)". Two speaker keys. Speaker 1 mounted on crook with chimney. All tone-holes covered. E₃ mounted on bell. 18 keys. 7 covered tone-holes.

L0: Plate F₄/C♮₆; speaker 1 + 2.
L1: Plate F♯₄; throat A♮; throat A♭.
L2: Plate E♭₄/B♭₅ corresponding ring.
L3: Plate; cross E♭₄/B♭₅.
L4: C♯₄/G♯₅; F₃/C♮₅; E₃/B♮₄; F♯₃/C♯₅.
R1: Plate B♭₃/F♮₅ via correspondence; side E♭₄/B♭₅; side F♯₄/C♯₆; trills 1-2.
R2: Plate B♮₃/F♯₅ via correspondence.
R3: Plate B♮₃/F♯₅ via correspondence; cross B♮₃/F♯₅.
R4: G♯₃/E♭₅; E₃/B♮₄; F₃/C♮₅; F♯₃/C♯₅.

Keyhead type: modern.
Keymount type: screwed in pillars.

Signature marks: Inscribed on upper section and bell with lyre / "BUFFET / Crampon & Cie / A PARIS" / BC monogram; on upper section also "Made in France".

Playing accessories: Reed, ligature, and reed-cap.
With a brown case with blue velvet lining made by Selmer. Also in case: device for a spike.

Device for a spike has broken off.
The mouthpiece is a replacement.

Performance characteristics: Quite a good instrument.

Previous ownership: Purchased in New York from a retired professional; he had bought it from the bass clarinettist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Michele Zukowsky's father Kalman Bloch recollected (MZ pers. com.) that this player had a bass in A when he (KB) joined the orchestra in 1939.

Provenance

Purchased in New York from a retired professional; he had bought it from the bass clarinettist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Michele Zukowsky's father Kalman Bloch recollected (MZ pers. com.) that this player had a bass in|A when he (KB) joined the orchestra in 1939. ; Bequest of Sir Nicholas Shackleton, 2006.

Classification