This basset clarinet in A draws inspiration from the craftsmanship of Theodor Lotz, the renowned Viennese maker who collaborated with Anton Stadler, Mozart’s virtuoso  clarinet player. Together, they extended the clarinet’s range down to written C, similar to the basset horn of the time. Unlike the basset horn’s more complex bent and double-bore construction, the basset clarinet retained the clarinet’s straight bore while providing a fully chromatic lower extension including all semitones. 

The basset clarinet is the instrument Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart originally had in mind when he composed the famous Clarinet Concerto K.622 and Clarinet Quintet K.581 for Anton Stadler.

Our reconstruction of the basset clarinet is based on the construction of early 5-key clarinets and basset horns from makers such as Heinrich Grenser before 1810, as well as a historical sketch from Anton Stadler's concert program in Riga (1794-1798), since no original Stadler instrument survives. 

Based on the Rega drawing, the bell is the well known "Liebesfuß". The upper joint originally had fewer keys, we have developed a chromatic upper joint with a chromatic extension down to low C. The low B below the written low C can be produced when the vent hole at the bell elbow joint is closed by resting it against the leg. In the Mozart Concerto, at least two passages (1st movement bar 295 and 3rd movement bar 147) appear to require this technique.

• Available pitch: A=430 Hz or A=440 Hz
• Crafted from Cocobolo wood
• Wood ends are protected by imitation Ivory rings
• The keys are casted from brass, steel springs with leather pads.
• Equipped with two barrels.
• It is Designed for use with a standard Bb clarinet mouthpiece, with a barrel receiver tailored for modern Bb mouthpieces, including Vandoren B45
• Additionally, accessories such as a plush lined protective case, extra set of pads, cleaning cloth, and a carrying strap are provided.

Waiting time is 60 days.