Since the beginning of the 18th century, the clarinet family of instruments has enriched music of all genres, from art music to folk music and light music such as jazz. These woodwind instruments come in all sizes and pitches: from the contrabass to the sopranino clarinet and as a “picksüßes Hölzl” in traditional Viennese music. With its versatile sound—from soft and singing to shrill and screeching—it is universally applicable. The development of this popular instrument continues to this day, as clarinet makers from the USA to Japan and also Europe and Austria experiment with materials, shapes, and special key techniques to optimize playability and technical possibilities.

Tyrolean clarinet maker Gerold Anton Angerer explains what is important, and we hear in various recordings what makes the difference in musical practice.

https://oe1.orf.at/programm/20250317/788370/Mehr-als-ein-picksuesses-Hoelzl