Isham Edgar Jones (January 31, 1894 – October 19, 1956) was an American bandleader , saxophonist, bassist and songwriter .
107-634: Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 16, 1938, is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz's 'coming out' party to
214-417: A Baroque instrument called the chalumeau . This instrument was similar to a recorder , but with a single-reed mouthpiece and a cylindrical bore. Lacking a register key , it was played mainly in its fundamental register, with a limited range of about one and a half octaves. It had eight finger holes, like a recorder, and a written pitch range from F 3 to G 4 . At this time, contrary to modern practice,
321-422: A 1975 PBS tribute to Hammond but remained at a distance. In the 1980s, after the death of Alice Goodman, Hammond and Goodman reconciled. On June 25, 1985, Goodman appeared at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City for "A Tribute to John Hammond". Goodman was regarded by some as a demanding taskmaster, by others as an arrogant and eccentric martinet. Many musicians spoke of "The Ray", the glare that Goodman directed at
428-608: A German mouthpiece and bore. The Albert clarinet was developed by Eugène Albert in 1848. This model was based on the Müller clarinet with some changes to keywork, and was also known as the "simple system". It included a "spectacle key" patented by Adolphe Sax and rollers to improve little-finger movement. After 1861, a "patent C sharp" key developed by Joseph Tyler was added to other clarinet models. Improved versions of Albert clarinets were built in Belgium and France for export to
535-432: A bebop band for over a year, he returned to his swing band because he concluded that was what he knew best. In 1953, he said, "Maybe bop has done more to set music back for years than anything ... Basically it's all wrong. It's not even knowing the scales ... Bop was mostly publicity and people figuring angles." In 1949 he studied with clarinetist Reginald Kell , requiring a change in technique: "instead of holding
642-793: A clarinet and bust you across your head with it". In 1962, the Benny Goodman Orchestra toured the Soviet Union as part of a cultural exchange program between the two nations after the Cuban Missile Crisis and the end of that phase of the Cold War ; both visits were part of efforts to normalize relations between the United States and the USSR. Members of the band included Jimmy Knepper , Jerry Dodgion, and Turk Van Lake (Vanig Hovsepian). Bassist Bill Crow published
749-465: A clarinet follows these steps: In addition to this primary compression wave, other waves, known as harmonics , are created. Harmonics are caused by factors including the imperfect wobbling and shaking of the reed, the reed sealing the mouthpiece opening for part of the wave cycle (which creates a flattened section of the sound wave), and imperfections (bumps and holes) in the bore. A wide variety of compression waves are created, but only some (primarily
856-550: A classical pianist. She sometimes performed in concert with him, beginning when she was sixteen. Goodman and Hammond had disagreements from the 1930s onwards. For the 1939 Spirituals to Swing concert Hammond had placed Charlie Christian into the Kansas City Six to play before Goodman's band, which had angered Goodman. They disagreed over the band's music until Goodman refused to listen to Hammond. Their arguments escalated, and in 1941 Hammond left Columbia. Goodman appeared on
963-414: A cylindrical stopped pipe . Recorders use a tapered internal bore to overblow at the octave when the thumb/register hole is pinched open, while the clarinet, with its cylindrical bore, overblows at the twelfth . Most modern clarinets have "undercut" tone holes that improve intonation and sound. Undercutting means chamfering the bottom edge of tone holes inside the bore. Acoustically, this makes
1070-411: A discerning listening audience. It was the start of jazz being recognized as an art form on a par with classical music." Recordings of the concert were made, but even by the technology of the day the equipment used was not of the finest quality. These recordings were made on acetate , and aluminum studio masters were cut. The idea of recording the concert came from Albert Marx, a friend of Goodman's, for
1177-557: A distinctive style of playing. The popular Brazilian music style of choro uses the clarinet, as does Albanian saze and Greek kompania folk music, and Bulgarian wedding music . In Turkish folk music , the Albert system clarinet in G is often used, commonly called a "Turkish clarinet". Isham Jones Jones was born in Coalton, Ohio , United States, to a musical and mining family. His father, Richard Isham Jones (1865–1945),
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#17327731755871284-733: A few keys to control accidentals (notes outside their diatonic home scales). The low (chalumeau) register of the clarinet spans a twelfth (an octave plus a perfect fifth) before overblowing, so the clarinet needs keys/holes to produce all nineteen notes in this range. This involves more keywork than on instruments that "overblow" at the octave— oboes , flutes, bassoons , and saxophones need only twelve notes before overblowing. Since clarinets with few keys cannot play chromatically, they are limited to playing in closely related keys. For example, an eighteenth-century clarinet in C could play music in F, C, and G (and their relative minors) with good intonation, but with progressive difficulty and poorer intonation as
1391-649: A handful of sessions under the ARC labels: Melotone , Perfect and Banner . In 1931, Jones performed at the Elitch Gardens Trocadero ballroom. In the 1940s, Jones resided on his poultry farm in Colorado , which he occasionally left for short tours with pickup bands. He later resided in Los Angeles. He moved to Hollywood, Florida in 1955, and died there of cancer in 1956. His great-nephew
1498-525: A life sentence." He was generous and funded several college educations, though always secretly. When a friend asked him why, he said, "Well, if they knew about it, everyone would come to me with their hand out." "As far as I'm concerned, what he did in those days—and they were hard days, in 1937—made it possible for Negroes to have their chance in baseball and other fields." —Lionel Hampton on Benny Goodman Goodman helped racial integration in America. In
1605-693: A local dance hall. In the summer of 1923, he met cornetist and composer Bix Beiderbecke . He attended the Lewis Institute ( Illinois Institute of Technology ) in 1924 as a high-school sophomore and played clarinet in a dance hall band. When he was 17, his father was killed by a passing car after stepping off a streetcar, which Goodman called "the saddest thing that ever happened in our family". His early influences were New Orleans jazz clarinetists who worked in Chicago, such as Jimmie Noone , Johnny Dodds , and Leon Roppolo . He learned quickly, becoming
1712-450: A musician who failed to perform to his standards. After guitarist Allan Reuss incurred Goodman's displeasure, Goodman relegated him to the rear of the bandstand where his contribution would be drowned out by the other musicians. Vocalists Anita O'Day and Helen Forrest spoke bitterly of their experiences singing with Goodman: "The twenty or so months I spent with Benny felt like twenty years," said Forrest. "When I look back, they seem like
1819-532: A number one hit and was followed by the Top Ten hits "Take My Word" and " Bugle Call Rag ". NBC hired Goodman for the radio program Let's Dance . John Hammond asked Fletcher Henderson if he wanted to write arrangements for Goodman, and Henderson agreed. During the Depression, Henderson disbanded his orchestra because he was in debt. Goodman hired Henderson's band members to teach his musicians how to play
1926-437: A perfect fifth higher than the first. A second key, at the top, extended the range of the first register to A 4 and, together with the register key, to B ♭ 4 . Later, Denner lengthened the bell and provided it with a third key to extend the pitch range down to E 3 . After Denner's innovations, other makers added keys to improve tuning and facilitate fingerings and the chalumeau fell into disuse. The clarinet of
2033-617: A sales campaign, but shortly after Goodman and his crew left Chicago in May 1936 to spend the summer filming The Big Broadcast of 1937 in Hollywood, the title "King of Swing" was applied to Goodman by the media. At the end of June 1936, Goodman went to Hollywood, where, on June 30, 1936, his band began CBS's Camel Caravan , its third and (according to Connor and Hicks) its greatest sponsored radio show, co-starring Goodman and his former boss Nathaniel Shilkret. By spring 1936, Fletcher Henderson
2140-400: A scale from one (soft) through five (hard). This numbering system is not standardized—reeds with the same number often vary in hardness across manufacturers and models. Reed and mouthpiece characteristics work together to determine ease of playability and tonal characteristics. The reed is attached to the mouthpiece by the ligature , and the top half-inch or so of this assembly is held in
2247-482: A session musician for radio, Broadway musicals, and in studios. In addition to clarinet, he sometimes played alto saxophone and baritone saxophone. His first recording pressed to disc (Victor 20394) occurred on December 9, 1926, in Chicago. The session resulted in the song "When I First Met Mary", which also included Glenn Miller , Harry Goodman, and Ben Pollack. In a Victor recording session on March 21, 1928, he played alongside Miller, Tommy Dorsey , and Joe Venuti in
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#17327731755872354-505: A single reed made from the cane of Arundo donax . Reeds may also be manufactured from synthetic materials. The ligature fastens the reed to the mouthpiece. When air is blown through the opening between the reed and the mouthpiece facing, the reed vibrates and produces the clarinet's sound. Most players buy manufactured reeds, although many make adjustments to these reeds, and some make their own reeds from cane "blanks". Reeds come in varying degrees of hardness, generally indicated on
2461-665: A strong player at an early age, and was soon playing in bands. He made his professional debut in 1921 at the Central Park Theater on the West Side of Chicago. He entered Harrison Technical High School in Chicago in 1922. At fourteen he became a member of the musicians' union and worked in a band featuring Bix Beiderbecke. Two years later he joined the Ben Pollack Orchestra and made his first recordings, in 1926. Goodman moved to New York City and became
2568-406: A strong use of tuba. During his Victor period, he recorded two long playing "Program Transcription" records as part of Victor's unsuccessful 33 1/3 RPM series. He stayed with Victor until July 1934, when he signed with Decca . Jones's recordings during this period rivaled Paul Whiteman , Waring's Pennsylvanians , Leo Reisman and other dance orchestras as examples of the most popular dance music of
2675-733: A very colorful view of the tour and Goodman's conduct during it under the title "To Russia Without Love". Goodman was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After winning polls as best jazz clarinetist, Goodman was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1957. He was a member of the radio division of the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame . His papers were donated to Yale University after his death. He received honorary doctorates from Union College,
2782-573: A vocal by Scrappy Lambert for Melotone . After signing with Columbia in 1934, he had top ten hits with "Ain't Cha Glad?" and "I Ain't Lazy, I'm Just Dreamin'" sung by Jack Teagarden , "Ol' Pappy" sung by Mildred Bailey , and "Riffin' the Scotch" sung by Billie Holiday . An invitation to play at the Billy Rose Music Hall led to his creation of an orchestra for the four-month engagement. The orchestra recorded " Moonglow ", which became
2889-453: A written E ♭ and some have additional keys to enable a written C 3 . Among the less common members of the clarinet family, contrabass clarinets may have keywork to written D 3 , C 3 , or B 2 ; the basset clarinet and basset horn generally go to low C 3 . Defining the top end of a clarinet's range is difficult, since many advanced players can produce notes well above the highest notes commonly found in method books. G 6
2996-419: Is a curved metal neck instead of a barrel. The main body of most clarinets has an upper joint, whose mechanism is mostly operated by the left hand, and a lower joint, mostly operated by the right hand. Some clarinets have a one-piece body. The modern soprano clarinet has numerous tone holes —seven are covered with the fingertips and the rest are operated using a set of 17 keys. The most common system of keys
3103-628: Is rare in classical literature; however, certain performers, such as Richard Stoltzman , use vibrato in classical music. Special fingerings and lip-bending may be used to play microtonal intervals. There have also been efforts to create a quarter tone clarinet . Clarinet bodies have been made from a variety of materials including wood, plastic, hard rubber or Ebonite , metal, and ivory . The vast majority of wooden clarinets are made from African blackwood (grenadilla), or, more uncommonly, Honduran rosewood or cocobolo . Historically other woods, particularly boxwood and ebony , were used. Since
3210-579: Is the largest woodwind family, ranging from the BB♭ contrabass to the E♭ soprano . The B ♭ soprano clarinet is the most common type, and is the instrument usually indicated by the word "clarinet". German instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner is generally credited with inventing the clarinet sometime around 1700 by adding a register key to the chalumeau , an earlier single-reed instrument. Over time, additional keywork and airtight pads were added to improve
3317-429: Is usually the highest note encountered in classical repertoire, but fingerings as high as A 7 exist. The range of a clarinet can be divided into three distinct registers : The three registers have characteristically different sounds—the chalumeau is rich and dark, the clarion is brighter and sweet, like a trumpet heard from afar, and the altissimo can be piercing and sometimes shrill. The production of sound by
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3424-696: Is widely used as a solo instrument. The clarinet evolved later than other orchestral woodwind instruments, leaving solo repertoire from the Classical period onward, but few works from the Baroque era. Many clarinet concertos and clarinet sonatas have been written to showcase the instrument, for example those by Mozart and Weber . Many works of chamber music have been written for the clarinet. Common combinations are: Groups of clarinets playing together have become increasingly popular among clarinet enthusiasts in recent years. Common forms are: The clarinet
3531-465: The Classical period , as used by Mozart , typically had five keys. Mozart suggested extending the clarinet downwards by four semitones to C 3 , which resulted in the basset clarinet that was about 18 centimetres (7.1 in) longer, made first by Theodor Lotz. In 1791 Mozart composed the Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A major for this instrument, with passages ranging down to C 3 . By
3638-504: The University of Illinois , Southern Illinois University Edwardsville , Bard College , Brandeis University, Columbia University, Harvard University, and Yale University. Clarinetist Plucked The clarinet is a single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The clarinet family
3745-407: The pitch . The player moves between the chalumeau and clarion registers through use of the register key . The open register key stops the fundamental frequency from being reinforced, making the reed vibrate at three times the frequency, which produces a note a twelfth above the original note. Most woodwind instruments have a second register that begins an octave above the first (with notes at twice
3852-489: The 1950s include Stan Hasselgård , Jimmy Giuffre , Eric Dolphy (on bass clarinet), Perry Robinson , and John Carter . In the US, the prominent players on the instrument since the 1980s have included Eddie Daniels , Don Byron , Marty Ehrlich , Ken Peplowski , and others playing in both traditional and contemporary styles. The clarinet is uncommon, but not unheard of, in rock music. Jerry Martini played clarinet on Sly and
3959-593: The All-Star Orchestra directed by Nathaniel Shilkret . He played with the bands of Red Nichols , Ben Selvin , Ted Lewis , and Isham Jones and recorded for Brunswick under the name Benny Goodman's Boys, a band that featured Glenn Miller. In 1928, Goodman and Miller wrote " Room 1411 ", Miller's first known composition, which was released as a Brunswick 78. He reached the charts for the first time in January 1931 with "He's Not Worth Your Tears", featuring
4066-605: The B-side, both arranged by Henderson and recorded on July 1. In Pittsburgh at the Stanley Theater some members of the audience danced in the aisles. But these arrangements had little impact on the tour until August 19 at McFadden's Ballroom in Oakland, California. Goodman and his band, which included trumpeter Bunny Berigan , drummer Gene Krupa , and singer Helen Ward were met by a large crowd of young dancers who cheered
4173-411: The E below middle C as their lowest written note. The concert pitch that sounds depends on the individual instrument's transposition (this low E sounds as a concert D 3 on a B ♭ soprano clarinet, a whole tone lower than the written note). Some B ♭ clarinets go to a written E ♭ 3 to match the range of the A clarinet. Bass clarinets have keywork extending the low range to
4280-631: The Family Stone 's 1968 hit, " Dance to the Music ". The Beatles included a trio of clarinets in " When I'm Sixty-Four " from their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. A clarinet is prominently featured in what a Billboard reviewer termed a "Benny Goodman-flavored clarinet solo" in " Breakfast in America ", the title song from the Supertramp album of the same name . Clarinets feature prominently in klezmer music, which employs
4387-592: The German not only in fingering but also in sound. Richard Strauss noted that "French clarinets have a flat, nasal tone, while German ones approximate the singing voice". Among modern instruments the difference is smaller, although intonation differences persist. The use of Oehler clarinets has continued in German and Austrian orchestras. Today the Boehm system is standard everywhere except in Germany and Austria, where
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4494-502: The Latin root clarus ' clear ' . The word is related to Middle English clarion , a type of trumpet, the name of which derives from the same root. The earliest mention of the word "clarinette" being used for the instrument dates to a 1710 order placed by the Duke of Gronsfeld for two instruments made by Jacob Denner . The English form "clarinet" is found as early as 1733, and
4601-759: The Lewisohn Stadium in New York City. Despite health problems, he continued to perform, his last concert being six days before his death. Goodman died on June 13, 1986, from a heart attack while taking a nap at his apartment in Manhattan House . One of Goodman's closest friends was Columbia producer John Hammond, who influenced Goodman's move from Victor to Columbia. Goodman married Hammond's sister, Alice Frances Hammond Duckworth (1905–1978), on March 20, 1942. They had two daughters and raised Alice's three daughters from her first marriage to British politician Arthur Duckworth . Goodman's daughter Rachel became
4708-565: The Oehler clarinet is still used. Some contemporary Dixieland players continue to use Albert system clarinets. The Reform Boehm system is also popular in the Netherlands. The modern orchestral standard of using soprano clarinets in B ♭ and A has to do partly with the history of the instrument and partly with acoustics, aesthetics, and economics. Before about 1800, due to the lack of airtight pads, practical woodwinds could have only
4815-572: The UK and the US. Around 1860, clarinettist Carl Baermann and instrument maker Georg Ottensteiner developed the patented Baermann/Ottensteiner clarinet. This instrument had new connecting levers, allowing multiple fingering options to operate some of the pads. The Brahms clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld used this clarinet, and the American clarinet soloist Charles Neidich has used a Baermann-Ottensteiner instrument for playing compositions by Brahms. In
4922-572: The United States in 1892 from Warsaw in partitioned Poland and became a tailor. His mother, Dora Grisinsky, came from Kaunas . They met in Baltimore, Maryland , and moved to Chicago before Goodman's birth. With little income and a large family, they moved to the Maxwell Street neighborhood, an overcrowded slum near railroad yards and factories that was populated by German, Irish, Italian, Polish, Scandinavian, and Jewish immigrants. Money
5029-692: The axles, and the ring keys simplified some complicated fingering patterns. The inventors called this the Boehm clarinet , although Böhm was not involved in its development and the system differed from the one used on the flute. Other key systems have been developed, many built around modifications to the basic Boehm system, including the Full Boehm, Mazzeo , McIntyre, the Benade NX, and the Reform Boehm system , which combined Boehm-system keywork with
5136-411: The cancellation of the radio show. An engagement was booked at Manhattan's Roosevelt Grill filling in for Guy Lombardo , but the audience expected "sweet" music and Goodman's band was unsuccessful. Goodman spent six months performing on Let's Dance , and during that time he recorded six more Top Ten hits for Columbia. On July 31, 1935, " King Porter Stomp " was released with " Sometimes I'm Happy " on
5243-486: The classically trained clarinetist and Chicago Symphony member, Franz Schoepp. During the next year Goodman joined the boys club band at Hull House , where he received lessons from director James Sylvester. By joining the band, he was entitled to spend two weeks at a summer camp near Chicago. It was the only time he could get away from his bleak neighborhood. At 13, he got his first union card. He performed on Lake Michigan excursion boats, and in 1923 played at Guyon's Paradise,
5350-408: The early Mueller system . The cluster of keys at the bottom of the upper joint (protruding slightly beyond the cork of the joint) are known as the trill keys and are operated by the right hand. The entire weight of the smaller clarinets is supported by the right thumb behind the lower joint on what is called the thumb rest . Larger clarinets are supported with a neck strap or a floor peg. Below
5457-722: The early 1930s, black and white musicians could not play together in most clubs and concerts. In the Southern states, racial segregation was enforced by Jim Crow laws . Goodman hired Teddy Wilson for his trio and added vibraphonist Lionel Hampton for his quartet. In 1939 he hired guitarist Charlie Christian. This integration in music happened ten years before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's six-decade-long color line. According to Jazz (Episode 5) by Ken Burns, Lionel Hampton states that when someone asked Goodman why he "played with that nigger " (referring to Teddy Wilson), Goodman replied, "If you say that again to me, I'll take
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#17327731755875564-425: The early 1970s he collaborated with George Benson after the two met taping a PBS tribute to John Hammond, recreating some of Goodman's duets with Charlie Christian. Benson appeared on Goodman's album Seven Come Eleven . Goodman continued to play swing, but he practiced and performed classical pieces and commissioned them for clarinet. In 1960 he performed Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with conductor Alfredo Antonini at
5671-622: The early 20th century, the German clarinetist and clarinet maker Oskar Oehler [ de ] presented a clarinet using similar fingerings to the Baermann instrument, with significantly more toneholes than the Böhm model. The new clarinet was called the Oehler system clarinet or German clarinet, while the Böhm clarinet has since been called the French clarinet. The French clarinet differs from
5778-597: The end of 1920, the name was simply "Isham Jones' Orchestra". He led one of the most popular dance bands in the 1920s and 1930s. His first successful recording, " Wabash Blues " written by Dave Ringle and Fred Meinken , was recorded in 1921. This million-seller stayed for twelve weeks in the U.S. charts, six at No. 1. It was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA . Noted musicians who played in Jones's band included Louis Panico , Benny Goodman (although no records were made during
5885-407: The era. Jones' Decca recordings are often unfavorably compared to his Victor recordings, due to Decca's recording techniques, Decca's insisting that Jones re-record many of his Victor recordings, and the apparent smaller size of his orchestra. After he left Decca in 1936, he again retired and his orchestra was taken over by band member Woody Herman . Jones started a new band in 1937–38 and recorded
5992-422: The evening with stock arrangements, but after an indifferent response, he began the second set with arrangements by Fletcher Henderson and Spud Murphy. According to Willard Alexander, the band's booking agent, Krupa said, "If we're gonna die, Benny, let's die playing our own thing." The crowd broke into cheers and applause. News reports spread word of the exciting music and enthusiastic dancing. The Palomar engagement
6099-403: The first racially integrated big band appearing before a paying audience in the United States. Goodman and Krupa played in a trio with Teddy Wilson on piano. Both combinations were well received, and Wilson remained. In his 1935–1936 radio broadcasts from Chicago, Goodman was introduced as the " Rajah of Rhythm". Slingerland Drum Company had been calling Krupa the "King of Swing" as part of
6206-403: The frequency of the lower notes). With the aid of an 'octave' or 'register' key, the notes sound an octave higher as the fingering pattern repeats. These instruments are said to overblow at the octave. The clarinet differs, since it acts as a closed-pipe system. The low chalumeau register plays fundamentals, but the clarion (second) register plays the third harmonics, a perfect twelfth higher than
6313-443: The fundamentals. The clarinet is therefore said to overblow at the twelfth. The first several notes of the altissimo (third) range, aided by the register key and venting with the first left-hand hole, play the fifth harmonics, a perfect twelfth plus a major sixth above the fundamentals. The fifth and seventh harmonics are also available, sounding a further sixth and fourth (a flat, diminished fifth) higher respectively; these are
6420-441: The instrument with considerably more keys. In 1812 Müller presented a clarinet with seven finger holes and thirteen keys, which he called "clarinet omnitonic" since it was capable of playing in all keys. It was no longer necessary to use differently tuned clarinets for a different keys. Müller is also considered the inventor of the metal ligature and the thumb rest . During this period the typical embouchure also changed, orienting
6527-688: The instruments. In the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky , Richard Strauss , and Gustav Mahler employed many different clarinets, including the E ♭ or D soprano clarinets, basset horn , bass clarinet , and/or contrabass clarinet . The practice of using different clarinets to achieve tonal variety was common in 20th-century classical music . The E ♭ clarinet, B ♭ clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, and contra-alto/contrabass clarinet are commonly used in concert bands , which generally have multiple B ♭ clarinets; there are commonly three or even four B ♭ clarinet parts with two to three players per part. The clarinet
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#17327731755876634-448: The key moved away from this range. With the advent of airtight pads and improved key technology, more keys were added to woodwinds and the need for clarinets in multiple keys was reduced. The use of instruments in C, B ♭ , and A persisted, with each used as specified by the composer. The lower-pitched clarinets sound "mellower" (less bright), and the C clarinet—the highest and brightest sounding of these three—fell out of favor as
6741-552: The late 1930s. Beginning in the 1940s, the clarinet faded from its prominent position in jazz. By that time, an interest in Dixieland , a revival of traditional New Orleans jazz, had begun. Pete Fountain was one of the best known performers in this genre. The clarinet's place in the jazz ensemble was usurped by the saxophone, which projects a more powerful sound and uses a less complicated fingering system. The clarinet did not entirely disappear from jazz—prominent players since
6848-549: The late 19th century, particularly for military use. Metal is still used for the bodies of some contra-alto and contrabass clarinets and the necks and bells of nearly all alto and larger clarinets. Mouthpieces are generally made of hard rubber, although some inexpensive mouthpieces may be made of plastic. Other materials such as glass, wood, ivory, and metal have also been used. Ligatures are often made of metal and tightened using one or more adjustment screws; other materials include plastic, string, or fabric. The clarinet uses
6955-595: The main body is a flared end known as the bell. The bell does not amplify the sound but improves the uniformity of the instrument's tone for the lowest notes in each register. For the other notes, the sound is produced almost entirely at the tone holes, and the bell is irrelevant. On basset horns and larger clarinets, the bell curves up and forward and is usually made of metal. The clarinet has its roots in early single-reed instruments used in Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt . The modern clarinet developed from
7062-474: The mid-1940s, however, big bands had lost much of their popularity. In 1941, ASCAP had a licensing war with music publishers. From 1942 to 1944, and again in 1948, the musicians' union went on strike against the major record labels in the United States, and singers acquired the popularity that the big bands had once enjoyed. During the 1942–44 strike, the War Department approached the union and requested
7169-508: The mid-20th century, clarinets (particularly student or band models) are also made from plastics, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). One of the first such blends of plastic was Resonite, a term originally trademarked by Selmer . The Greenline model by Buffet Crampon is made from a composite of resin and the African blackwood powder left over from the manufacture of wooden clarinets. Metal soprano clarinets were popular in
7276-821: The mouthpiece between his front teeth and lower lip, as he had done since he first took a clarinet in hand 30 years earlier, Goodman learned to adjust his embouchure to the use of both lips and even to use new fingering techniques. He had his old finger calluses removed and started to learn how to play his clarinet again—almost from scratch." Goodman commissioned compositions for clarinet and chamber ensembles or orchestra that have become standard pieces of classical repertoire. He premiered works by composers, such as Contrasts by Béla Bartók ; Clarinet Concerto No. 2, Op. 115 by Malcolm Arnold ; Derivations for Clarinet and Band by Morton Gould ; Sonata for Clarinet and Piano by Francis Poulenc , and Clarinet Concerto by Aaron Copland . Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs by Leonard Bernstein
7383-491: The mouthpiece with the reed facing downward. This was first recommended in 1782 and became standard by the 1830s. In the late 1830s, German flute maker Theobald Böhm invented a ring and axle key system for the flute. This key system was first used on the clarinet between 1839 and 1843 by French clarinetist Hyacinthe Klosé in collaboration with instrument maker Louis Auguste Buffet . Their design introduced needle springs for
7490-406: The music of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Pianist Mel Powell was also an adviser in 1945. Goodman enjoyed bebop. When he heard Thelonious Monk , he said, "I like it, I like that very much. I like the piece and I like the way he played it ... I think he's got a sense of humor and he's got some good things there." He also admired Swedish clarinetist Stan Hasselgård . But after playing with
7597-603: The music they had heard on Let's Dance . Herb Caen wrote, "from the first note, the place was in an uproar." One night later, at Pismo Beach , the show was a flop, and the band thought the overwhelming reception in Oakland had been a fluke. The next night, August 21, 1935, at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles, Goodman and his band began a three-week engagement. On top of the Let's Dance airplay, Al Jarvis had been playing Goodman's records on KFWB radio. Goodman started
7704-435: The music. Goodman's band was one of three to perform on Let's Dance , playing arrangements by Henderson along with hits such as " Get Happy " and " Limehouse Blues " by Spud Murphy . Goodman's portion of the program was broadcast too late at night to attract a large audience on the east coast. He and his band remained on Let's Dance until May of that year when a strike by employees of the series' sponsor, Nabisco , forced
7811-439: The need for two clarinets, the technical difficulty of playing in remote keys persisted, and the A has remained a standard orchestral instrument. By the late 19th century the orchestral clarinet repertoire contained so much music for clarinet in A that it has remained in use. The orchestra frequently includes two clarinetists, each usually equipped with a B ♭ and an A clarinet, and clarinet parts commonly alternate between
7918-408: The notes of the altissimo register. The lip position and pressure, shaping of the vocal tract, choice of reed and mouthpiece, amount of air pressure created, and evenness of the airflow account for most of the player's ability to control the tone of a clarinet. Their vocal tract will be shaped to resonate at frequencies associated with the tone being produced. Vibrato , a pulsating change of pitch,
8025-602: The now-archaic "clarionet" appears from 1784 until the early 20th century. A person who plays the clarinet is called a clarinetist (in North American English ), a clarinettist (in British English ), or simply a clarinet player. The clarinet's cylindrical bore is the main reason for its distinctive timbre , which varies between the three main registers (the chalumeau , clarion , and altissimo ). The A and B ♭ clarinets have nearly
8132-409: The odd harmonics) are reinforced. This in combination with the cut-off frequency (where a significant drop in resonance occurs) results in the characteristic tone of the clarinet. The bore is cylindrical for most of the tube with an inner bore diameter between 0.575 and 0.585 inches (14.6 and 14.9 mm), but there is a subtle hourglass shape, with the thinnest part below the junction between
8239-589: The other two could cover its range and their sound was considered better. While the clarinet in C began to fall out of general use around 1850, some composers continued to write C parts, e.g., Bizet 's Symphony in C (1855), Tchaikovsky 's Symphony No. 2 (1872), Smetana 's overture to The Bartered Bride (1866) and Má Vlast (1874), Dvořák's Slavonic Dance Op. 46, No. 1 (1878), Brahms ' Symphony No. 4 (1885), Mahler's Symphony No. 6 (1906), and Strauss ' Der Rosenkavalier (1911). While technical improvements and an equal-tempered scale reduced
8346-442: The player's mouth. In the past, string was used to bind the reed to the mouthpiece. The formation of the mouth around the mouthpiece and reed is called the embouchure . The reed is on the underside of the mouthpiece, pressing against the player's lower lip, while the top teeth normally contact the top of the mouthpiece (some players roll the upper lip under the top teeth to form what is called a 'double-lip' embouchure). Adjustments in
8453-644: The production of V-Discs , a set of records containing new recordings for soldiers, thereby boosting the rise of new artists. Also, by the late 1940s, swing was no longer the dominant style of jazz musicians. By the 1940s, some jazz musicians were borrowing from classical music, while others, such as Charlie Parker , were broadening the rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic vocabulary of swing to create bebop (or bop). The bebop recordings Goodman made for Capitol were praised by critics. For his bebop band he hired Buddy Greco , Zoot Sims , and Wardell Gray . He consulted his friend Mary Lou Williams for advice on how to approach
8560-475: The purposes of a gift for his wife Helen Ward, as well as gifting a second set to Goodman. Sometime in or before 1950, Goodman recovered the acetates from his sister-in-law's closet, who had informed him about them, and took them to the audio engineer William Savory . The pair took them to Columbia, with Goodman realising the recordings could be used as leverage to make a recording contract with Columbia (having been eager to end his contract with Capitol). A selection
8667-545: The radio, claiming it was part of a Jewish conspiracy to destroy the culture. Italy's fascist government banned the broadcast of any music composed or played by Jews which they said threatened "the flower of our race, the youth." In November 1935, Goodman accepted an invitation to play in Chicago at the Joseph Urban Room at the Congress Hotel. His stay there was extended to six months, and his popularity
8774-414: The reed was placed in contact with the upper lip. Around the beginning of the 18th century the German instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner (or possibly his son Jacob Denner) equipped a chalumeau in the alto register with two keys, one of which enabled access to a higher register. This second register did not begin an octave above the first, as with other woodwind instruments, but started an octave and
8881-493: The same bore and nearly identical tonal quality, although the A typically has a slightly warmer sound. The tone of the E ♭ clarinet is brighter and can be heard through loud orchestral textures. The bass clarinet has a characteristically deep, mellow sound, and the alto clarinet sounds similar to the bass, though not as dark. Clarinets have the largest pitch range of common woodwinds. Nearly all soprano and piccolo clarinets have keywork enabling them to play
8988-505: The same occasion he recorded Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major , K. 622, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch . He also recorded the clarinet concertos of Weber After forays outside swing, Goodman started a new band in 1953. According to Donald Clarke, this was not a happy time for Goodman. He reunited the band to tour with Louis Armstrong. But he insulted Armstrong and "was appalled at
9095-491: The short time he was there), Woody Herman , Walt Yoder , and Roy Bargy . Reed virtuoso Al Gallodoro appeared briefly with Jones in 1933, taking part in a record date October 3. From the start, his Brunswick records were popular. There was a gap from October 1927 to June 1929 where Jones did not record due to disbanding and reorganization. From 1929 to 1932, his Brunswick recordings became even more sophisticated with offbeat arrangements by Gordon Jenkins and others; Jones
9202-462: The strength and shape of the embouchure change the tone and intonation. Players sometimes relieve the pressure on the upper teeth and inner lower lip by attaching a pad to the top of the mouthpiece or putting temporary cushioning on the lower teeth. The mouthpiece attaches to the barrel. Tuning can be adjusted by using barrels of varying lengths or by pulling out the barrel to increase the instrument's length. On basset horns and lower clarinets, there
9309-433: The time of Beethoven ( c. 1780–1820 ), the clarinet was a fixed member in the orchestra. The number of keys was limited because their felt pads did not seal tightly. Baltic-German clarinetist and master clarinet maker Iwan Müller remedied this by countersinking the tone holes for the keys and covering the pads with soft leather. These leather pads sealed the holes better than felt, making it possible to equip
9416-456: The tone and playability. Today the clarinet is a standard fixture of the orchestra and concert band and is used in classical music, military bands , klezmer , jazz , and other styles. The word "clarinet" may have entered the English language via the French clarinette (the feminine diminutive of Old French clarin ), or from Provençal clarin ' oboe ' , originating from
9523-399: The tone hole function as if it were larger, but its main function is to allow the air column to follow the curve up through the tone hole (surface tension) instead of "blowing past" it under the increasingly directional frequencies of the upper registers. Covering or uncovering the tone holes varies the length of the pipe, changing the resonant frequencies of the enclosed air column and hence
9630-467: The tune "We're in the Army Now" (also known as " You're in the Army Now ") when the United States entered World War I. The same tune was popular during World War II and it is played by the U.S. Army Band. The Isham Jones band made a series of popular gramophone records for Brunswick throughout the 1920s. His first 26 sides, made at Rainbo Gardens, were credited to "Isham Jones' Rainbo Orchestra". By
9737-446: The upper and lower joint. This hourglass shape, although invisible to the naked eye, helps to correct the pitch and responsiveness of the instrument. The diameter of the bore affects the instrument's sound characteristics. The bell at the bottom of the clarinet flares out to improve the tone and tuning of the lowest notes. The fixed reed and fairly uniform diameter of the clarinet result in an acoustical performance approximating that of
9844-726: The vaudeville aspects of Louis's act...a contradiction of everything Goodman stood for". Armstrong left Goodman hanging during a joint performance where Goodman called Armstrong back onstage to wrap up the show. Armstrong refused to perform alongside Goodman, which led essentially to the end of their friendship. Goodman's band appeared as a specialty act in the films The Big Broadcast of 1937 ; Hollywood Hotel (1938); Syncopation (1942); The Powers Girl (1942); Stage Door Canteen (1943); The Gang's All Here (1943); Sweet and Low-Down (1944), Goodman's only starring feature; Make Mine Music (1946) and A Song Is Born (1948). He continued to play on records and in small groups. In
9951-508: The world of 'respectable' music." Goodman's bands started the careers of many jazz musicians. During an era of racial segregation, he led one of the first integrated jazz groups, his trio and quartet. He continued performing up until the end of his life while also pursuing an interest in classical music. Goodman was the ninth of twelve children born to poor Jewish emigrants from the Russian Empire . His father, David Goodman, came to
10058-413: Was a central instrument in jazz, beginning with early jazz players in the 1910s. It remained a signature instrument of the genre through much of the big band era into the 1940s. American players Alphonse Picou , Larry Shields , Jimmie Noone , Johnny Dodds , and Sidney Bechet were all prominent early jazz clarinet players. Swing performers such as Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw rose to prominence in
10165-561: Was a constant problem. On Sundays, his father took the children to free band concerts in Douglass Park , which was the first time Goodman experienced live professional performances. To give his children some skills and an appreciation for music, his father enrolled ten-year-old Goodman and two of his brothers in music lessons, from 1919, at the Kehelah Jacob Synagogue. Benny also received two years of instruction from
10272-588: Was a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet from 1939 to 1941, and during these two years he turned the electric guitar into a popular jazz instrument. Goodman continued his success throughout the late 1930s with his big band , his trio and quartet, and the sextet formed in August 1939, the same month Goodman returned to Columbia Records after four years with RCA Victor . At Columbia, John Hammond, his future brother-in-law, produced most of his sessions. By
10379-639: Was a violinist. The family moved to Saginaw, Michigan , where Jones grew up and started his first ensemble for church concerts. In 1911 one of Jones's earliest compositions "On the Alamo" was published by Tell Taylor Inc. In 1915, Jones moved to Chicago , Illinois . He performed at the Green Mill Gardens, then began playing at Fred Mann's Rainbo Gardens . Chicago remained his home until 1932, when he settled in New York City. He also toured England with his orchestra in 1925. In 1917, he composed
10486-495: Was cemented by nationwide radio broadcasts over NBC affiliate stations. While in Chicago, the band recorded " If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight) ", " Stompin' at the Savoy ", and " Goody Goody ". Goodman also played three concerts produced by Chicago socialite and jazz aficionado Helen Oakley . These "Rhythm Club" concerts at the Congress Hotel included sets in which Goodman and Krupa sat in with Fletcher Henderson's band, perhaps
10593-609: Was commissioned for Woody Herman 's big band, but it was premiered by Goodman. Herman was the dedicatee (1945) and first performer (1946) of Igor Stravinsky 's Ebony Concerto , but many years later Stravinsky made another recording with Goodman as the soloist. He made a recording of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in July 1956 with the Boston Symphony String Quartet at the Berkshire Festival ; on
10700-533: Was his own arranger early on, but cultivated others. During this period, Jones started featuring violinist Eddie Stone as one of his regular vocalists. Stone had an unusual, almost humorous tone to his voice. His other vocalists included Frank Sylvano , Billy Scott, and Arthur Jarrett. In 1932, he added Joe Martin, another of the band's violinists, as a frequent vocalist. In April that year, young Bing Crosby recorded two sessions with Jones's group which included " Sweet Georgia Brown ". Crosby at this point in his career
10807-418: Was jazz drummer Rusty Jones . Isham Jones was the leader of one of America's most popular dance bands in the first half of the 20th century, between the two World Wars. His remarkable string of chart-topping compositions between 1922 and 1925, in collaboration with lyricist Gus Kahn , and later with Charles Newman, included eight number 1 records, an unequaled body of work for a full-time band leader. Each of
10914-408: Was named the Boehm system by its designer Hyacinthe Klosé after flute designer Theobald Boehm , but it is not the same as the Boehm system used on flutes. The other main key system is the Oehler system , which is used mostly in Germany and Austria. The related Albert system is used by some jazz , klezmer , and eastern European folk musicians. The Albert and Oehler systems are both based on
11021-739: Was put off by Christian's taste in gaudy clothing. Unbeknownst to Goodman, at an August 16 concert at the Victor Hugo Restaurant in Beverly Hills , Hammond inserted Christian onto the stage. Goodman started playing " Rose Room " on the assumption that Christian didn't know it, but his performance impressed the audience immensely. According to Hammond, "before long the crowd was screaming with amazement. 'Rose Room' continued for more than three quarters of an hour and Goodman received an ovation unlike any even he had before. No one present will ever forget it, least of all Benny." Christian
11128-859: Was still singing in a jazz idiom, transitioning to his better known " crooner " style. In August 1932, Jones signed with Victor , and these records are considered among the best arranged and performed commercial dance band records of the Depression era. Victor's recording technique was suited to Jones' band. In October 1932, he teamed up with the Three X Sisters in New York who had just departed from CBS radio. They recorded "experimental" songs for RCA Victor in which Jones began to fuse jazz and early swing music. They recorded "Where? (I Wonder Where?)" and "What Would Happen to Me If Something Happened to You." His Victor releases had an almost symphonic sound, often with
11235-647: Was such a marked success that it is often described as the beginning of the swing era . According to Donald Clarke , "It is clear in retrospect that the Swing Era had been waiting to happen, but it was Goodman and his band that touched it off." The reception of American swing was less enthusiastic in Europe. British author J. C. Squire filed a complaint with BBC Radio to demand it stop playing Goodman's music, which he called "an awful series of jungle noises which can hearten no man." Germany's Nazi party barred jazz from
11342-478: Was then released as an LP entitled The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert . In 1939, pianist and arranger Mary Lou Williams suggested to John Hammond, who was responsible for finding new talent for Goodman, that he see guitarist Charlie Christian . Hammond had seen Christian perform in Oklahoma City on July 10, 1939, and recommended him to Goodman, but Goodman was uninterested in electric guitar and
11449-533: Was writing arrangements for Goodman's band. In late 1937, Goodman's publicist Wynn Nathanson suggested that Goodman and his band play Carnegie Hall in New York City. The sold-out concert was held on the evening of January 16, 1938. It is regarded as one of the most significant concerts in jazz history. After years of work by musicians from all over the country, jazz had finally been accepted by mainstream audiences—according to Stan Ayeroff, "the concert helped jazz evolve from being strictly dance music to music worthy of
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