High-range instruments > piccolo clarinet in A-flat
Range of the piccolo clarinet in A-flat
General
One of the highest clarinets in semi-regular circulation, the piccolo clarinet in A-flat experienced popularity in folk music and military bands. It is pitched a perfect fourth higher than the piccolo clarinet in E-flat, rendering the sound significantly more bright and penetrating. It is capable of everything from blistering virtuosity to surprising poetry and yearns to be aired more often. There is much to discover here.
The piccolo clarinet in G is pitched one semitone lower than the piccolo clarinet in A-flat and sounds similar. This instrument is generally less common than the instrument in A-flat.
Nearby range and tone colour pairings: piccolo, flute, musette, oboe, sopranino saxophone, piccolo trumpet, high/small percussion, violin
Distant range and tone colour pairings: low woodwind, low brass, large/low percussion, low strings
Video example (18th century)
Video example (20th century)
Video example (21st century)
Notable repertoire:
Giuseppe Verdi — Rigoletto (1851) & Un ballo in maschera (1859) (offstage band)
Béla Bartók — Scherzo (1904) for piano and orchestra
John Tavener — Celtic Requiem (1969) for soprano, children’s choir and orchestra
Hans Joachim Hespos — Einander–bedingendes (1966) & VIF-bi (1987) for ensemble; Interactions (1971) for orchestra
Samuel Andreyev — Vérifications (2012) for six instruments & Fin d‘études (2023)
Oren Boneh — Municipal Shuffle (2022) main work for piccolo clarinet in A-flat and ensemble
Transposition hacks
sounding > written: think a major third higher then one octave lower [ + M3 - Œ ] • read as if bass clef (German notation)
written > sounding: think a major third lower then one octave higher [ - M3 + Π]
Piccolo clarinets
These highest and smallest (hence: piccolo) of all clarinets come in at least 4 different nominal pitches: D, E-flat, G and A-flat, at least these are the most common types and even then — except for the E-flat clarinet — they’re quite rare. They are the upward extension of the sound of the clarinet family and can pierce the sound of a tutti orchestra with ease, when played in the high register. There are very few limits to the technical virtuosity possible on these instruments and when played softly, they can sound magical and seductive. Multiphonics on piccolo clarinets can be more difficult to produce than on the other high clarinets (C, B-flat, A) so be sure to always check them with someone. All other extended techniques work well.
The nomenclature “piccolo” may seem deceptive at first, because we are most often used to hearing or reading this word in association with the piccolo flute, which is pitched one whole octave above the standard flute. However, the term “piccolo” need not refer to an instrument one octave higher. The word “piccolo” comes from Italian and means small. As with much musical terminology in use in the English language, we have borrowed it from Italian. Because the word simply means small, which in woodwind-speak is the same as higher, this word can be applied to those members of the instrument family that are perceived to be significantly higher, proven by over 100 years of orchestration from three of the most significant national contributors to the classical music canon: Italy, France and Germany:
Italian: clarinetto in Do/Si-bemolle/La > clarinetto piccolo (=small) in Ré/Mi-bemolle/Sol/La-bemolle
French: clarinette en Ut/Si-bemol/La > petite (=small) clarinette en Ré/Mi-bemol/Sol/La-bemol
German: Klarinette in C/B/A > kleine (=small) Klarinette in D/Es/G/As
Next time you’re at the library, why not compare ways composers refer to the piccolo clarinet in E-flat, the most common piccolo clarinet?
