@andyjh said:
What is the historic reason for clarinets not using vibrato in classical music?
Historically, vibrato is used to even out the effect of being slightly off-pitch or having tonal flaws or anomalies. In classical music from the Baroque to Classical eras it was less common to use vibrato and more common to just have good enough tone and pitch to have no need for it. Here's an interesting (and very strong) opinion from a clarinetist: "As a musician with a European background, I play without vibration. But at times I hear--or feel--a few seconds of vibration as I play. This happens in romantic music, where the expression of a delicate phrase in a love scene takes my mind off other matters. This vibration, however, is entirely different. It is natural and comes from my heart and soul. It disappears as mysteriously as it came."
And a quote from Michael Rusinek of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: "[My teacher's] feeling about vibrato was that too often, players use vibrato to cover up flaws in their tone," Rusinek says. "So if you have a beautiful tone, it doesn't need vibrato; it's like putting ketchup on a really good steak." The same article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette mentions that vibrato throughout the whole orchestra was uncommon until the 20th century and points out that clarinets and french horns both kept up the tradition of not using any vibrato for some reason, despite the fact that the rest of the orchestra began to use it. I think vibrato is more popularized by film music and pop/jazz than any classical music, including Romantic. But vibrato in general has never been used as liberally as it is in film music. Even in today's orchestral music, listen to the music of Arvo Part and the choral music of Eric Whitacre and John Tavener. Vibrato is nearly absent in so much of it.
