fast as that of the bass clarinet. Unlike other low wind instruments (contrabassoon, tuba, ...) it can play a wide range of nuances from "fff" to "ppp" and articulations ("legato", "staccato", slap, ...). In contemporary music, composers use its ability to produce polyphonic sounds. Length The length of the tube (without bell) ranges from about 190 centimeters for a contra-alto clarinet, which lowest written tone is E♭, and up to about 230 centimeters for an instrument down to C. Repertoire As the contra-alto clarinet is a relatively young instrument, its repertoire is limited and much smaller than that of the contrabass clarinet. It is represented in all musical styles that emerged after the end of the 19th century, from neoclassicism, New Music, jazz and contemporary music to experimental rock. In the mid-1960s, pieces in which contra-alto clarinets were also used were said to be heard even from the loudspeakers of small television sets. The instrument was also in Hollywood: early episodes of The Twilight Zone, Star Trek Given the limited written repertoire in orchestras and ensembles, contra-alto clarinets can play in unison with other low wind instruments or provide a foundation in the lower octave to the woodwinds playing higher (organ pedal effect). Parts for baritone saxophone in E♭ for wind bands can also be used for contra-alto clarinet. There are also transcriptions and transpositions of pieces written for low instruments in C, such as double bass, bass guitar, bassoon, and tuba. In the publishing houses, part of the repertoire of the contra-alto clarinet is shared with that of the contrabass clarinet. Neoclassicism Lien, Fantastic Scherzo with Piano. Siennicki, Nocturne with piano. Bret Newton, Three Songs for Contra Alto Clarinet and Piano. Contemporary solo and chamber music Zeno Baldi: copia carbone for ensemble incl. contralto clarinet and electronics Chris Dench: Funk for contralto clarinet and percussion Bernhard Lang: Das Hirn for soprano and ensemble incl. ossia part for contralto clarinet Clarinet ensemble Dick Hyman, Sextet for Clarinets. Wind orchestra Lucien Cailliet is known for his arrangements for wind orchestra and clarinet ensemble, combining over 6 octaves of different clarinets from the E♭ sopranino to the contra-alto clarinet. The contra-alto clarinet is regularly used in professional wind orchestras. Americans became aware of the importance of instrumentation during the 20th century to give instruments such as the contra-alto clarinet a place in the brass band (in English military band or concert band).