What does the clarinet sound like in the nineteenth century?

Photo credit: Andrew Simon

When you are seating in an orchestra or wind band, most clarinetists are using the Boehm system (or the French system). However, back in the 19th century, the clarinet that Brahms heard from the clarinet virtuoso, Richard Mühlfeld (1856-1903), was very different from what we hear and see nowadays.

Here's a photo of a modern clarinet:

(Photo credit from: http://www.buffet-crampon.com/en/instruments/clarinets/vintage/ )

And here's a photo of A and Bb clarinets, which were owned by Mühlfeld.

Photo credit: http://www.schwenk-und-seggelke.de/englisch/klarinetten_historisch.php 

From the above photos, it is not difficult to find out the material and the key systems were very different from each other. Therefore, the sound of 19th century's clarinets differed a lot from what we heard now.

This is a short video featuring Brahms'Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in Eb Major, op.120 No.2. You can see and hear how the modern clarinet and a copy of Mühlfeld's clarinet perform this Sonata. 

Lastly, I found a version of Brahms' Clarinet Quintet featuring Charles Neidich, one of the most renowned clarinet masters in the world. Neidich played this piece with clarinet in A which is similar to Mulfield's. I hope that these videos could give you a more in-depth idea on how the sound of clarinet inspired Brahms to compose his influential clarinet masterpieces.