Woodwinds · Single reed · Clarinet family
Contrabass Clarinet
Sounds two octaves and a whole step below written pitch.
Quick facts
| Family | Woodwinds — Single reed |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 422.211.2 |
| Pitched in | B♭ |
| Transposition | Sounds a two octaves + major second lower than written |
| Written range | C3 – E6 |
| Sounding range | B♭0 – D4 (29.14 – 294 Hz) |
| Clef | Treble |
| Other names | Kontrabassklarinette, clarinete contrabajo, clarinette contrebasse |
Player's notes
- Sounds two octaves and a whole step below written pitch.
- Built either as a folded metal 'paperclip' or a long straight wooden body.
- Used in large wind ensembles, film scores and clarinet choirs.
About the contrabass clarinet
The contrabass clarinet (or pedal clarinet after the pedals of pipe organs) is an uncommonly used member of the clarinet family. Modern contrabass clarinets are transposing instruments pitched in B♭, sounding two octaves lower than the common B♭ soprano clarinet and one octave below the bass clarinet. Some contrabass clarinet models have extra keys to extend the range down to low written E♭3, D3 or C3. This gives a tessitura written range, notated in treble clef, of C3 – F6, which sounds B♭0 – E♭4. Some early instruments were pitched in C; Arnold Schoenberg's Fünf Orchesterstücke specifies a contrabass clarinet in A, but there is no evidence such an instrument has ever existed.
The smaller E♭ contra-alto clarinet is sometimes referred to as the "E♭ contrabass clarinet" and is pitched one octave lower than the E♭ alto clarinet.
Two models of subcontrabass clarinet (the octocontra-alto and octocontrabass) were built as prototypes by Leblanc in the 1930s and survive in the Leblanc museum.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Contrabass clarinet”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable repertoire
- Octet — Franz Schubert (1824)
- Turandot — Giacomo Puccini (1921)
- Piano Concerto No. 4 — Sergei Prokofiev
- Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt — Ludwig van Beethoven (1814)
- Kegelstatt Trio — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786)
- Contrasts — Béla Bartók
- Youth — Leoš Janáček (1924)
- The Carnival of the Animals — Camille Saint-Saëns (1886)
- Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1791)
- Horn Concerto No. 3 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1787)
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice — Paul Dukas (1890)
- Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1778)
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the contrabass clarinet?
The practical written range of the contrabass clarinet is C3 to E6, which sounds B♭0 to D4 (29.1 Hz to 294 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the contrabass clarinet a transposing instrument?
Yes. The contrabass clarinet is pitched in B♭: sounds a two octaves + major second lower than written. A written C sounds B♭.
What clef does the contrabass clarinet read?
The contrabass clarinet reads treble clef.
How is the contrabass clarinet classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the contrabass clarinet is classified as 422.211.2.
Historic examples in museums
Museum →
Related instruments
B♭ Clarinet
The most common clarinet: written C sounds B♭ a whole step lower.
A Clarinet
Slightly longer sibling of the B♭ clarinet; written C sounds A, a minor third lower.
E♭ Clarinet
The small 'piccolo' of the clarinet family; written C sounds E♭ a minor third higher.
Alto Clarinet
Pitched in E♭ a fifth below the B♭ soprano; written C sounds E♭ a major sixth lower.
Basset Horn
An F alto clarinet with extension down to written C — beloved by Mozart (Requiem, Gran…
Bass Clarinet
Sounds an octave below the B♭ clarinet; in French (treble-clef) notation written C…