80 Graded Studies for Clarinet, Book Two: Clarinet Book

The inclusion of Paul Harris's original studies alongside carefully chosen 19th-century material creates a bridge between classical etude traditions and modern clarinet technique. The deliberate progression and breadth of stylistic voices mean students aren't grinding through identical compositional approaches; instead, they encounter the fingerprints of different virtuosi, each demanding something slightly different from the instrument.

Moving through these studies traces the evolution of clarinet writing across a crucial century. Early pieces sing with lyrical clarity, then gradually introduce wider intervals, faster passagework, and the brighter timbral possibilities the modern instrument demands. There's a sense of climbing a well-engineered mountain, each peak revealing new territory.

Clarinet students transitioning from early-intermediate to solidly intermediate levels, typically after one to two years of study. Teachers working with concert band and solo repertoire need etude material that covers technique without feeling divorced from actual musicianship.

• Notice how the historical studies reveal period-specific articulation patterns. Lean into those stylistic markers rather than applying uniform modern phrasing across all material.
• The Harris compositions introduce 20th-century technical demands; isolate passages requiring extended range or unusual intervals before running them at tempo.
• Use the graded progression to benchmark where students genuinely sit technically. A smooth run through Book One doesn't guarantee readiness for Two; test the opening studies first.

Assign studies selectively alongside concert repertoire to address specific technical gaps. A piece demanding rapid sixteenth-note figures becomes less frustrating when students have been working parallel material from the book all week. The variety also makes these suitable for sectional warm-ups, where rotating through different composers keeps attention fresh.

• Tonguing clarity and control across varied articulation patterns
• Scale and arpeggio fluency in multiple keys with increased range demands
• Double-tonguing and rapid single-tonguing passages
• Interval leaps and unusual note combinations
• Sustained tone quality under technical pressure
• Recognition of stylistic differences across 19th and 20th-century writing