Contrat Alto Clarinet in E-flat (Clarone grande)
Alessandro Maldura established a woodwind factory in Milan. He received a medal at the Milan Exhibition of 1863 and exhibited flute, oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, and bassoon at the Milan exhibition in 1881. The present instrument was referred to as contrabass clarinet in E♭ as well as ‘clarone grande in Mi♭ basso’. It is the oldest surviving contra alto clarinet. (Waterhouse, NLI, 251)
Overall size: 1370
Bore: 23.5
Technical description: Grenadilla with German silver ferrules and bell. Fourteen keys. Five pieces: mouthpiece, crook, upper section, lower section, upright bell. Second speaker with tone hole on crook is a variant that is not depicted in the 1866 bass clarinet patent. Presumably the second speaker tone hole is indispensable for a proper throat B♭ and an easy speaking overblown register. Some tone holes covered (L0, L1, L3, R1, R3). No side E♭4/B♭5 and side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C. The mechanism uses rod-axles to overcome the distances of the instrument.
L0: P; speaker.
L1: P; throat A♮; throat A♭.
L2: T.
L3: P; E♭4/B♭5.
L4: C♯4/G♯5; E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: P; side F4/ C6.
R2: T.
R3: T; B♭3/F♮5; side B♮3/F♯5.
R4: F3/C5; G♯3/E♭5.
Keyhead type: shallow cups
Keymount type: screwed in pillars.
Inscribed on upper and lower section with flower / "MALDURA / MILANO" / flower / "CON BREVETTATO" / spade; and on bell "Maldura Milano / Mibemol / Basso"
Overall size: 1370
Bore: 23.5
Technical description: Grenadilla with German silver ferrules and bell. Fourteen keys. Five pieces: mouthpiece, crook, upper section, lower section, upright bell. Second speaker with tone hole on crook is a variant that is not depicted in the 1866 bass clarinet patent. Presumably the second speaker tone hole is indispensable for a proper throat B♭ and an easy speaking overblown register. Some tone holes covered (L0, L1, L3, R1, R3). No side E♭4/B♭5 and side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C. The mechanism uses rod-axles to overcome the distances of the instrument.
L0: P; speaker.
L1: P; throat A♮; throat A♭.
L2: T.
L3: P; E♭4/B♭5.
L4: C♯4/G♯5; E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1: P; side F4/ C6.
R2: T.
R3: T; B♭3/F♮5; side B♮3/F♯5.
R4: F3/C5; G♯3/E♭5.
Keyhead type: shallow cups
Keymount type: screwed in pillars.
Inscribed on upper and lower section with flower / "MALDURA / MILANO" / flower / "CON BREVETTATO" / spade; and on bell "Maldura Milano / Mibemol / Basso"
Artwork Details
- Title: Contrat Alto Clarinet in E-flat (Clarone grande)
- Maker: Alessandro Maldura (Italian, active Milan 1850–1914 Milan)
- Date: 1881
- Geography: Milan, Italy
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: Grenadilla, nickel-silver
- Dimensions: Total length of tube: approximately 1930 mm
Diameter of bell: 203 mm - Classification: Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-single reed cylindrical
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.2819
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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