Clarinet quintet Clarinet quintet Traditionally a clarinet quintet is a chamber musical ensemble made up of one clarinet, plus the standard string quartet of two violins, one viola, and one cello. Now the term clarinet quintet can refer to five B clarinets; four B clarinets and a bass clarinet; three B clarinets and two bass clarinets; one E clarinet, two B clarinets, and two bass clarinets; or one E clarinet, two B clarinets, one E alto clarinet, and one bass clarinet. The term is also used to refer to a piece written for one of these ensembles. One of the earliest and
Quintet for clarinet, bass clarinet and string trio (Simpson) Quintet for clarinet, bass clarinet and string trio (Simpson) The Quintet for clarinet, bass clarinet and string trio by Robert Simpson was completed in 1981 and commissioned by Gerald Drucker principal double bass at the Philharmonia Orchestra of London. The first performance was given at the Wigmore Hall in 1981 by the London Double Bass Ensemble and led by Gerald Drucker. Robert Simpson was attracted to the idea of a quintet for the somewhat unusual combination of three double basses, clarinet and bass clarinet, beginning with a passage where the bass trio is actually introduced in harmonics, so that the