The development of clarinet music in Turkey and the contribution of Republican Period composers to clarinet repertoire

The origin of wind instruments dates back to pre-historic times. People started to use wind instruments as soon as they realized blowing on hollow objects produce sounds. Clarinet is a single-reed, wind instrument that belongs to the woodwind class. The origins of the instrument Chalumeau, which is considered as the ancestor of the clarinet, dates back to the Middle Ages. In this study, historical development, origins and characteristics of the clarinet instrument were examined, the course of acceptance by composers and inclusion in orchestras were also explained. The musical pieces composed for clarinet and important composers were compiled by using available resources and conducting an extensive literature review. The development process of music and clarinet in Turkey is described, and Republican Era composers and musical works composed for clarinet are listed considering the lack of relevant resources in the literature. Recommendations for applications to increase musical interest and production in Turkey in terms of composers and musical works are also developed and presented. It is hoped that this research will make an important contribution to the Turkish literature as a useful resource for researchers, clarinet students, music students, and musicians. Keywords: Clarinet, Concerto, repertory