When I’m not practicing the clarinet, one of my favorite things to do is delve into the vast world of clarinet history. There are so many subjects and areas to explore, one of which is the clarinet’s development to its modern form. Today, clarinetists probably take several things for granted. Reeds, although quite a can of worms, can be mass-produced and are easily available. Mouthpieces are varied and plentiful, and you can even work with mouthpiece makers for customized setups. Ligatures also come in several materials and variations. Most of us likely started out with a simple metal ligature – something we probably haven’t paid much attention to outside of…