Meråker Clarinet is a rare Norwegian shepherd's clarinet with roots in the Meråker mountain village in Trøndelag. The instrument combines the best of two worlds: the distinctive sound and history of the old shepherd's instruments and the familiar playing technique of modern clarinets. The instrument is therefore just as suitable for folk musicians as it is for clarinettists and other reed players who want to break into folk music.
Characteristics of the Meråker clarinet
The clarinet has eight finger holes on the upper side and one thumb hole on the underside, and therefore has a tonal range of one ninth. The instrument is delivered in the key of A (traditional), but can also be delivered in G or Bb for those who wants that - enter the desired key in the form above.
The clarinet body is turned from a single piece of birch, while the «beak» of the mouthpiece is made from juniper. The instrument utilises the standard Bb clarinet reed.
The ligature is traditionally - and fittingly - a copper wire, as a tribute to Meråker as a mining town (with Norway's oldest mines for the extraction of copper).
From shepherd's "flute" to folk instrument
The Meråker clarinet was originally known locally as a «flute» and was an instrument used by shepherds and young people in Stordalen in Meråker. In the early 1900s, the instrument almost fell into oblivion along with traditional summer mountain pasture (sæter), but enjoyed a renaissance in the 1950s when Harald Gilland resumed production and modernised the design. After Gilland, the tradition was carried on by Nils Underhaug in Meråker, from whom I learnt the craft.
The clarinets I make are a continuation of the tradition and follow Gilland's modernised design, which has made the clarinet playable in combination with other instruments.
Read more about the history and background of the instrument at my article about Meråkerklarinetten.
Care
Wipe dry after use and store the instrument in a dry place. Avoid large temperature fluctuations and direct sunlight. Reeds should be replaced regularly, just like on an ordinary clarinet.
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