The E-Flat Clarinet - an instrument for ants?

#shorts #clarinet #comedy

If you are curious what pieces contain absolutely ✨iconic✨ Eb clarinet solos definitely check out these:

-Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique 5th Movement. (1st excerpt from the video)

-Ravel’s Bolero (2nd excerpt from the video)

-Strauss’s “Till Eulenspiegels lustige streiche” (3rd Excerpt from the video)

-Stravinsky’s the “Rite of Spring”

-Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6, 2nd Mov.

-Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G Major”

If you’re curious what my Eb setup is right now:
Buffet Crampon Tosca Eb Clarinet
Vandoren BD5 Mouthpiece
3.5 Strength Bb clarinet Blue Box Vandoren Reed (I trim the heel of the reed to make it fit)
Custom Barrel

And I know I’m kind of roasting the instrument in this short, but it really is fun to play! (But wear earplugs when you practice, seriously!)
Ultimately, the Eb clarinet repertoire is chock-full of interesting, varied and mostly difficult parts. Composers write for it in the same way that they write for a normal clarinet. Fast technique, wide interval leaps, delicate lyricism etc. Some of the best clarinet solos really are written for Eb. It’s just unfortunate that, because of its size, virtually every aspect of playing it becomes more difficult. However, if you ever get the chance to play it, definitely take it as it makes for a fun ensemble cycle!

If you’ve made it this far, let me know what your favorite Eb clarinet part is down below!