1. The Basset Horn: Not Just Another Auxiliary Clarinet
By
Eric Salazar
11-11-13

2. Salazar 1
The basset horn is an instrument that is somewhat of a mystery. The basset horn is a
member of the clarinet family and is technically classified as a tenor clarinet. Anton and Michael
Mayrofer of Passau, Germany invented the basset horn around 1770. The instrument’s popularity
was somewhat short-lived. The basset horn was used frequently within a small time span of 60
years, ca.1770-1850. There are still modern basset horns in production, however. The instrument
is rare due to several technological advances in modern clarinets. The improvements in key
work, tone production, and the bore of the modern clarinets have made them more versatile. Due
to the versatility of the modern clarinets (particularly of the bass clarinet) the basset horn has
gradually become replaced. These technological advances in modern clarinets are the cause of
the short lifespan of the basset horn. Since the mid-nineteenth century, most composers have
written pieces only for clarinet and/or bass clarinet rather than for basset horn, clarinet, and bass
clarinet. Something to note, however, is that the bass clarinet is in the key of Bb and is a full
octave lower than the soprano clarinet. The basset horn is tuned in the key of F and is only a
fourth lower than the soprano clarinet. The difference in tuning gives the basset horn a different
timbre than the clarinets that are tuned in Bb.1
This paper will assess the historical significance of the basset horn. I will touch upon the
history and creation of the basset horn to provide ample background information for the reader.
After this, there will be a survey of major repertoire for the instrument. The bulk of the paper
will then discuss the authenticity of using basset horns in performances versus simply rewriting
the material for clarinet. The issue of authenticity will be addressed primarily through an
aesthetic point of view.
1
Geoffrey F. Randall. The Clarinet: Some Notes Upon it History and Construction (New York: Philosophical
Library, 1954), 134-146.

3. Salazar 2
Three aesthetic concerns arise from replacing a basset horn with a clarinet. Of these three
aesthetic concerns, two are issues concerning auditory information while one concerns visual
information. The differences in auditory or visual aesthetic potentially alter the perception of the
music. I have labeled the three aesthetic concerns as: timbral displacement, sonority
transformation, and visual asymmetry. The pieces that will be used to address these issues are:
W.A. Mozart’s Requiem and Felix Mendelssohn’s Trio Op. 113. These pieces were chosen
because they are standards in the basset horn repertoire.
As mentioned before, the basset horn is tuned in the key of F and was invented by Anton
(1706-74) and Michael (1707-78) Mayrofer of Passau, Germany around 1770.2
The instrument is
always made out of wood and has metal keys with a metal bell. In the beginning, the primary
type of wood used was boxwood and the primary metal was brass. The first basset horns were
curved and said to be sickle shaped (See figure A). These basset horns had a total of seven keys
and the bore was generally small, anywhere from 16mm to 18mm. The mouthpiece and reed
were on one end of the body, while the bell was placed at the other. The player would hold the
mouthpiece up to their mouth and the instrument would curve towards their torso. This made the
bell point towards the body much like the modern horn.3
Another salient feature of the basset horn is what instrument makers call the Buch. The
Buch or box is placed at the end of the basset horn and connects the body of the instrument to the
bell. The Buch is essentially a way to extend the length of the bore of the instrument while
retaining the compact shape (See figure B). The Buch is a wide box of wood that has the bore of
the instrument carved out and folded over two to three times. This lengthens the total amount of
2
Randall, The Clarinet: Some Notes Upon its History and Construction, 134-135.
3
Randall, The Clarinet: Some Notes Upon its History and Construction, 136-146.

4. Salazar 3
tubing that the air must travel through considerably. The purpose of such a mechanism allows for
the instrument to sound lower than the Bb clarinet but still retain close proximity of the fingers
for easier technique.4
The sickle-shaped basset horns persisted for a few decades, but were gradually replaced
by a superior design. Around 1780 an instrument maker named Theodor Lotz (1747/48-92)
constructed a design that discarded the curved shape. Instead of using one long section of wood
for the traditional sickle shape, Lotz created two straight joints that were connected in the
middle. The two pieces to the body were connected with a double-socket knee-shaped chunk of
ivory. The joints were connected at an angle of 120 degrees. The Lotz model also added another
key to the standard, which increased the total number of keys to eight.5
Lotz tended to use boxwood, brass, and ivory in his models. This became the standard for
future basset horns. Ivory is used to connect the joints, while the main part of the instrument is
made of boxwood with brass keys. Lotz’s model is generally how basset horns were constructed
until their revival in the late nineteenth century. Some minor changes to design varied depending
on the region of construction. Some areas were known to have differently shaped Buchs. Some
Buchs were triangular, some were oval-shaped bulbs, and others adhered to the Lotz standard flat
rectangular shape.6
Modern basset horns are constructed similarly to the bass clarinet design. The modern
basset horn, like the modern clarinet, is made out of granadilla wood from Africa and uses silver
plated keys and a silver plated bell. The body of the instrument is generally made up of two
4
Eric Hoeprich, The Clarinet (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 237-238.
5
Hoeprich, The Clarinet, 239-241
6
Hoeprich, The Clarinet, 251-252

5. Salazar 4
straight pieces that are joined in the middle, this time aligned straight, not at an angle. The bell of
the modern basset horn looks similar to the bell of a bass clarinet. The bell is curved at the
bottom and angles upwards like the bell of a saxophone.6
The repertoire for the basset horn is quite small in comparison with other modern
instruments. The basset horn is featured most frequently as a chamber music instrument. There
are several combinations for basset horn and clarinet, basset horn and piano, three basset horns,
basset horn and string trio, basset horn in wind octets, and clarinet quartets. Since the basset horn
had its peak in popularity from about 1770-1850, most of these chamber pieces are from the late
classical and early romantic periods of music. There are other instances where the basset horn is
used in large ensemble setting. When the basset horn is used for a large ensemble, it is used most
frequently in the opera orchestra. W.A. Mozart especially seemed to favor the basset horn.
Mozart included the basset horn in his Requiem, his operas Die entführung aus dem Serail and
La Clemenza di Tito. Richard Strauss also used the basset horn more frequently than most.
Strauss included the basset horn in his operas Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier, and Daphne. Strauss
also included the basset horn in two of his later wind serenades. Several concertos exist for the
basset horn as well. An example of this can be found in Heinrich Backofen’s Concerto in F
written ca. 1810. Recently, there has been a revival of the basset horn. Several composers are
writing new music for the instrument. Composers started writing for the basset horn again
around 1970 and have continued to do so since.7
The pieces to be discussed will be primarily
from the repertoire that was written before the twentieth century.
6
Hoeprich, The Clarinet, 251-252
7
John P. Newhill, The Basset Horn and its Music (England: Rosewood Publications, 1986), 29-103
For a more detailed look at the basset horn repertoire, look no further than John P. Newhill’s book The
Basset Horn and its Music. This book serves as an all-encompassing catalogue of basset horn repertoire.

6. Salazar 5
One of the most important pieces in the basset horn repertoire is Mozart’s Requiem. This
is one of the few large ensemble works that utilizes the basset horn and is still frequently
performed today. The Requiem uses a smaller wind section than Mozart’s late symphonies.
Mozart did not use any high wind instruments for this work. The piece uses simply two basset
horns and two bassoons in the woodwind section.8
Of course, the most problematic aspect of the Requiem is that the version performed
today is a completion by Mozart’s pupil Franz Xavier Süssmayr. This leads many to wonder how
the Requiem should be interpreted.9
Several Mozart scholars have taken it upon themselves to
create their own completions of the Requiem. Whether or not the piece itself is authentic will not
be discussed here. Scholars such as Simon P. Keefe, Robert Levin, Richard Maunder, Christoph
Wolff, and Duncan Druce have already debated this matter at length.10
The matter of
instrumentation, however, will be discussed. Mozart wrote this piece for the basset horn to be
specifically included in the orchestra. Fortunately, the Requiem is one piece of music where the
use of the basset horn is consistently employed. The practice of transposing the part for a Bb
clarinet is not typically rendered for this piece. This is one of the major works where the tradition
of using a basset horn is adhered to; one does not simply disregard Mozart’s last wishes.11
By
observing the score one can see that in the first movement, Requiem aeternam, Mozart
specifically calls for the basset horn in the introit (See figure C).12
Since performances of the
8
Albert R. Rice, From the Clarinet d’Amour to the Contra Bass (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 176
9
Simon P. Keefe, “‘Die Ochsen am Berge’: Franz Xavier Süssmayr and the Orchestration of Mozart’s Requiem,
K. 626.” Journal of American Musicological Society 61 (2008): 1-65.
10
Robert D. Levin, et al. “Finishing ‘Die Ochsen am Berge’: Franz Xavier Süssmayr and the Orchestration of
Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626.” Journal of American Musicological Society 61 (2008): 583-608.
11
Newhill, The Basset Horn and its Music, 108.
12
W.A. Mozart, Requiem in D minor, K. 626 (Leipzig: Breitkpof and Härtel, 1821).

7. Salazar 6
Requiem are regularly put on with the performance practice of using basset horns, the piece is an
excellent starting point for a discussion on performance practice in regards to instrumentation.
It is technically possible to play these basset horn parts on a clarinet. If one were to do
this, however, there would be a drastic change in timbre. This change in timbre leads to the
phenomenon labeled as timbral displacement, and the reason for a change in timbre lies in the
actual construction and mechanics of the instrument. Both basset horns and clarinets have three
parts to their range. The three parts are: chalumeau (lowest), clarion (middle), and altissimo
(highest). Each register has a different timbre. The chalumeau register tends to be identified as
“woody” or “reedy.” The clarion register is mellow but clear. The altissimo register is brilliant
and piercing. The chalumeau register functions at a very basic level. The more holes that are
covered, the longer the instrument becomes and the lower the pitch goes. The chalumeau register
also has a few keys that open holes that are placed above the rest. These cause the pitch to go
higher. Since these keys are near the top of the instrument and close to the player’s mouth, they
are called throat tones. The throat tones for basset horn and clarinet are: G4, G#/Ab4, A4, and
A#/Bb4. The clarion and altissimo registers employ what is called a register key. The register
key on a clarinet or basset horn opens up a hole that is near the top of the instrument. This
shortens the instrument significantly, which causes the pitch to go substantially higher, nearly to
the top of the instrument’s range (C6). In order to play pitches in between the throat tones and
the pitch that sounds when the register key is pressed, one must cover holes while pressing the
register key. This will make the instrument longer, but still shorter than the throat tones.13
13
Colin Lawson, The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet (Cambridge: Cambridge Univeristy Press, 2009), 16-
38.

8. Salazar 7
Knowing and understanding how the keys work on these instruments is critical to
understanding why it is unacceptable to transpose the parts from basset horn to clarinet. The
throat tones require either no keys to be depressed or one to two keys to be depressed. The
pitches in the clarion register require ten to two keys to be depressed. When ten keys are
depressed (including the register key), the pitch that sounds is B4. When no keys are depressed at
all on the clarinet the pitch that sounds is G4. Since no keys are used to produce a G4, this pitch
tends to speak very easily with hardly any air behind it at all. Because of how freely this note
speaks the timbre of a throat tone G is thin. A B4 requires ten keys to be depressed, this makes
the note speak far less easily—one must push more air to make a sound. Since a clarion register
B is more difficult to produce, the timbre tends to sound much more thick than a throat tone G.
Yes, merely going the interval of a third on the clarinet or basset horn changes the timbre
completely when one is going from register to register.14
This is similar to playing the same pitch
on two different strings on a cello.
If we take a look at the score to Mozart’s Requiem we notice that the basset horn has
some passages that go from the throat tones to the clarion register. A specific instance of this is
in the second basset horn part in measures 9-13 of the first movement, Requiem aeternam. In
measure 10, the second basset horn plays eighth notes that go from a throat tone A to a throat
tone G, then to chalumeau F #, and then all the way up to a clarion register B (See figure D.1).
This will, as mentioned previously, provide a specific change in timbre on the second half of the
second beat. When the basset horn leaps up to a B, the sound will go from a thin woody throat
tone to a much more thick clarion tone.15
If one were to transpose this part for a Bb clarinet, the
14
Colin Lawson, The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet, 16-38
15
W.A. Mozart, Requiem in D minor, K. 626 (Leipzig: Breitkpof and Härtel, 1821).

9. Salazar 8
pitches would sound at the same frequency, but would take place in a different register on the
instrument. On a Bb clarinet, the pitches that one would play on the instrument would be E-D-
C#-A (See figure D.2). Not only would all of these take place in the chalumeau register, but the
second half of beat two would be a throat tone. This would end the beat on the opposite timbre
that Mozart wrote. There would also be no change in timbre from a register change. This is only
two beats of the entire Requiem. Imagine how different the piece would sound if this
transposition were employed throughout the fourteen-movement work.
One additional argument against using a transposed clarinet part for the Reqiuem is the
specific difference in color between the basset horn and the clarinet. The basset horn is often
cited as having a dark somber tone color, while the clarinet tends to be recognized for its
brilliance. A specific quotation can be found on this in Volume 4, Number 42 of The Musical
World written in 1836. George Hogarth wrote after hearing basset horns play in the Requiem:
The Corno di Bassetto is a large clarinet, the compass of which extends a fifth lower than
the C clarinet. It is played upon in the same manner as the clarinet, and is remarkable for
the mournful character of its tones. On this account it is used with great effect where an
expression of deep melancholy is required; as in the opening of Mozart’s ‘Requiem,’
where its wailing sounds are mingled with those of the bassoon in a strain of plaintive
harmony which is profoundly pathetic.16
Mozart’s scoring uses only the woodwind instruments that were known to present a dark tone
color. This was deliberate and befitting of the mood and character of a requiem mass.
16
George Hogarth, “Musical Instruments. The Clarinet and Corno di Bassetto,” The Musical World 4 (1836): 17-20.

10. Salazar 9
Felix Mendelssohn’s Concert Piece No. 1, Op. 113 is another important piece in the
basset horn repertoire. This piece was composed in the years of 1832-1833 and was dedicated to
Heinrich Baermann and his son, Carl Baermann. The father and son duo were two legendary
clarinet and basset horn virtuosi of the Romantic period of music.17
The understanding of timbral
displacement leads to another phenomenon labeled as sonority transformation. Sonority
transformation occurs when a change in timbre (through transposition) affects the pitch
arrangement of a harmony. An example of sonority transformation can be found in the opening
measure of Mendelssohn’s Concert Piece No. 1 on the very first beat.
The opening harmony on the first beat of the Concert Piece No. 1 is an F minor chord.
The piano part has two low F pitches in octaves in the left hand and a second inversion F minor
chord in the right hand. The basset horn plays its lowest possible note, a low C, which sounds as
an F in the space below the staff in bass clef with no ledger lines. The clarinet plays an altissimo
register D, which sounds as a C that is two ledger lines above the staff in treble clef (See figure
E.1).18
If one were to transpose the basset horn part and rewrite it for another clarinet, there
would be a problem. The clarinet is physically unable to play a low F below the staff in bass clef.
Therefore, the transposition would have to use octave displacement and have the clarinet part
play its concert F an octave higher than what is actually written in the score (See figure E.2).
This would alter the arrangement of pitches. Instead of having unison low F with another F an
octave below, the harmony would change to having three different F pitches in three different
17
Albert R. Rice, From the Clarinet d’Amour to the Contra Bass (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 224-226.
18
Felix Medelssohn, Concert Piece No. 1, Op. 113 (Leipzig: Breitkopf and Härtel, 1875).

11. Salazar 10
octaves (See figure E.3). This is a subtle difference, but it can change the aesthetic appeal of the
opening measure.
Part of how the beauty is perceived by the audience is the fact that the basset horn is
playing its lowest note while the clarinet is playing one of its highest. The fact that these two
very distant pitches can blend together to create sonority is quite impressive to the ear. If one
transposes the part the effect is not as substantial. By changing the interval between the two wind
instruments from 3 octaves and a fifth to only 2 octaves and a fifth the distance between the
pitches is drastically diminished. In this sense of sonority transformation, the two clarinets would
sound more closely related than the clarinet-basset horn duo. The aesthetic of having two distant
pitches blending together would be reduced.
A final aesthetic concern is one of visual asymmetry. This is prevalent in the Concert
Piece No. 1 as well. The trio is typically performed with the two wind instruments standing in
front of the piano.19
If the piece is played with two clarinets, there is a certain visual symmetry
between the angles of the instruments when the performers stand. The angles of the instruments
taper downward to form a funnel-like shape. When the piece is performed with a clarinet-basset
horn duo the angles of the instruments are asymmetrical. The angle of the basset horn has
changed over the centuries. When this piece was premiered the basset horn would have been
either curved or bent at an angle towards the player. A modern basset horn comes straight down
with the bell pointing upwards and away from the performer. Whether the angle of the basset
horn is bent out and bowed towards the performer or pointing straight down with the bell
pointing away from the performer is irrelevant to the visual aesthetic concern of asymmetry.
Either way, the angle of the basset horn will be different from the angle of the clarinet.
19
Rice, From the Clarinet d’Amour to the Contra Bass, 225

12. Salazar 11
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one of the definitions of symmetry is:
beauty of form arising from balanced proportions.20
This is related to what was discussed above
with sonority transformation. Part of the aesthetic appeal of playing the Concert Pieces by
Mendelssohn is the fact that two distant wind instruments can blend together to make beautiful
music. The visual angle of the instruments can alter the perception of the blend between the two
instruments. When the performers are standing together with symmetrical instrument angles the
expectation is that the balanced form of the two angles will blend together. When the performers
are standing together with asymmetrical instrument angles the expectation is that the unbalanced
form of the two angles will blend less easily. This makes the music more impressive when the
two different instruments blend together. The aesthetic appeal of the distant, unbalanced clarinet-
basset horn duo blending together to make music is reduced when the performance uses two
clarinets, which are closely-related, balanced instruments.
In addition to the aforementioned arguments, let us look at how other scholars feel about
the subjects of aesthetic and authenticity. Malcolm Bilson states:
It is my firm conviction that Stein, Walter, Broadwood, Graf and Erard all built pianos
that were as beautiful in sound as the best of today's pianos; they were different in sound
and aesthetics, but they were not inferior in quality.21
Bilson is, of course, talking about various different pianofortes but the concept can be taken to
the basset horn. The last part of the quote is particularly applicable. Just because the basset horn
20
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003.
21
Malcolm Bilson, “Late Beethoven and Early Pianos,” Early Music 10 (1982): 517-519.

13. Salazar 12
is different in sound and aesthetic does not mean that the instrument is inferior in any way.
Often, clarinetists view the instrument as a weird distant cousin and opt out of using the basset
horn. This is not so. The instrument is different, yes, but the basset horn’s differences are what
make it particularly effective in a performance.
Another scholar who has written at length about authenticity is Richard Taruskin.
Taruskin states:
Authenticity, on the other hand, is knowing what you mean and whence comes that
knowledge. And more than that, even, authenticity is knowing what you are, and acting in
accordance with that knowledge.22
In short, any uninformed decision is a poorly made one. This concept encapsulates the issues of
the basset horn perfectly. Just because a clarinetist lacks information or experience with the
instrument does not give them the excuse to disregard a composer’s express wishes of
instrumentation.
The three aesthetic concerns that arise from replacing a basset horn with a clarinet are:
timbral displacement, sonority transformation, and visual asymmetry. Often, when the music is
transposed for a clarinet, not just one of these complications arise but usually some combination,
if not all of them. These subtle changes in aesthetic can alter the perception of the music. While
small at first, many subtle changes can add up quickly. The basset horn should be used when it is
called for to retain the aesthetic qualities of the original work. The basset horn, it is not a clarinet.
22
Richard Taruskin. "The Authenticity Movement Can Become a Positivistic Purgatory, Literalistic and
Dehumanizing," Early Music 12 (1984): 3-12.

14. Salazar 13
Appendix of Figures
Figure A: The Basset Horns23
Figure B: The Buch24
23
Randall, The Clarinet plate VI
24
Hoeprich, The Clarinet 238

15. Salazar 14
Figure C: Mozart’s Requiem aeternam
Figure D.1: measures 9-10 of Requiem aeternam in the score
clarinet on top, basset horn on bottom
Figure D.2: measures 9-10 transposed, showing timbral displacement

16. Salazar 15
Figure E.1: measure 1 of Mendelssohn’s Concert Piece No. 1 Op. 113
Figure E.2: measure 1 with clarinet and basset horn on left, two clarinets on right
Figure E.3: measure 1 showing octave displacement and sonority transformation

17. Salazar 16
Bibliography
Bilson, Malcolm. “Late Beethoven and Early Pianos.” Early Music 10 (1982): 517-519.
Hoeprich, Eric. The Clarinet. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008.
Hogarth, George. “Musical Instruments. The Clarinet and Corno di Bassetto.” The Musical
World 4 (1836): 17-20.
Keefe, Simon P. “‘Die Ochsen am Berge’: Franz Xavier Süssmayr and the Orchestration of
Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626.” Journal of American Musicological Society 61 (2008): 1-65.
Lawson, Colin. The Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet. Cambridge: Cambridge
Univeristy Press, 2009.
Lawson, Colin. The Early Clarinet: A Practical Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2000.
Levin, Robert D., et al. “Finishing ‘Die Ochsen am Berge’: Franz Xavier Süssmayr and the
Orchestration of Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626.” Journal of American Musicological Society
61 (2008): 583-608.
Maunder, Richard. “J.C. Bach and the Basset-Horn.” The Galpin Society Journal 37
(1984): 42-47.
Medelssohn, Felix. Concert Piece No. 1, Op. 113. Leipzig: Breitkopf and Härtel, 1875.
Morgan, Robert P. “Tradition, Anxiety, and the Current Musical Scene.” In Authenticity and
Early Music: A Symposium. ed. Nicholas Kenyon, 57-82.Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1988.
Mozart, W. A. Requiem in D minor, K. 626. Leipzig: Breitkpof and Härtel, 1821.
Newhill, John P. The Basset Horn and its Music. England: Rosewood Publications, 1986.
Randall, F. Geoffrey. The Clarinet: Some Notes Upon its History and Construction. New York:
Philosophical Library, 1954.
Rice, Albert R. “The Clarinette d’Amour and Basset Horn.” The Galpin Society Journal 39
(1986): 97-111.
Rice, Albert R. From the Clarinet d’Amour to the Contra Bass. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2009.
Riley, Maurice W. “A Tentative Bibliography of Early Wind Instrument Tutors.”
Journal of Research in Music Education 6 (1958): 3-24.

18. Salazar 17
Sadie, Stanley. “The Idea of Authenticity.” In The Companion to Baroque Music. 435-446.
California: University of California Press, 1998.
Shackleton, Nicholas. "Basset-horn." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.
Oxford University Press, 2007-.
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/0225.
Taruskin, Richard. Text and Act: Essays on Music and Performance. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1995.
Taruskin, Richard. "The Authenticity Movement Can Become a Positivistic Purgatory,
Literalistic and Dehumanizing," Early Music 12 (1984): 3-12.