Basset clarinet

The basset clarinet is a soprano clarinet with extended downward range, usually to written low C but occasionally to low B. It was invented in the late 18th century by the virtuoso Anton Stadler, and some of Mozart's most famous clarinet works, including the clarinet concerto K622, an extended obbligato in the aria Non più di fiori from La clemenza di Tito, and possibly the clarinet quintet K581, were written for Stadler's new instrument.

References

• Poulin, P. (1982). "The basset clarinet of Anton Stadler". College Music Symposium 22 (2): 67–82.

• Poulin, P. (1995). "An updated report on new information regarding Stadler's concert tour of Europe and two early examples of the basset clarinet". The Clarinet 22 (2): 24–28.