The Lumière takes the clarinet to a level of breathtaking clarity and focus from the highest altissimo down through the low register. Less is more, as the Lumière flaunts European flair with uncompromising intonation and fluidity. Completely redesigned from the bell up, and the first clarinet to feature the new Backun Scale, this custom clarinet is a perfect match for those who desire the highest quality playing experience in a more traditional French-style instrument. Arching inline trill keys serve both form and function, moving the complex sculpted tone holes out of the waterline, while newly designed touch pieces offer a luxurious, refined feel. Among the finishing touches, custom leather pads make their first appearance on a Backun Clarinet, providing artists with unmatched response and feel.
Custom Made and Built to Order
Backun Custom Clarinets are custom made and built to order by our dedicated team in Canada. For availability, and to discuss your musical needs, please contact usto schedule a free 15 minute sales consultation by phone or Zoom today.
Key
Available in Bb or A
Approx. Weight
852g
Features
Premium, unstained exotic hardwood body in grenadilla or cocobolo
Drop-forged and hardened key work with triple-strike plating in silver
Lumière complex taper with Backun Scale bore
Lumière sculpted undercut and overcut tone holes
Modular posting system
Carbon fibre joints and tenons
Solid Silver Thumb and Register Tubes
Mechanics
Automatic Low F Vent, an innovative mechanism corrects the Low F's tuning every time, without having to decide when to use an additional key
Inline trill keys with hardened, blue steel coil springs
Removable left-hand Eb key
Adjustable thumb rest with neck strap ring
Advanced adjustment screws
Pads
Custom black leather pads
Custom register pad with voicing pin
Includes
Lumière 66mm and 65mm Barrels
Lumière Bell
Backun Professional Single Case
Boveda Pack
Polishing cloth
Silk swab
Cork grease
Backun Warranty
Mouthpiece not included
Lumière Clarinet
Features Gallery
Carbon Fibre Rings and Tenons
Removable left-hand Eb key
Adjustable Thumb Rest with Neck Strap Ring
Product Reviews
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 100 reviews.
I have owned every accessory and instrument that Morrie has ever designed. They started at stupendous and every iteration has gotten better for 20 years now. The Lumière was even more of a revelation than the MoBa! I've just listened to David Shifrin's latest recording of Poulenc chamber music. As wonderful as Shifrin has always been, he has never sounded more glorious and it is wonderful that he thanks Morrie and BMS so sincerely in his notes.
I love etymology and a detailed examination through the iterations over time of the word Lumière illuminates why it is the perfect name for this amazing clarinet.
From the Latin "lux": Daylight, day, moonlight. Enlightenment, explanation. Eyesight, the eyes, luminary. Glory, encouragement. Life. Light of the stars. Splendour.
From the latin "lumen": brightness. poetic: daylight, the eyes, the light of life. An opening through which light can penetrate.
From the latin "lumino": I brighten. I illuminate. I reveal
From the latin "luminare": A luminary; especially a heavenly body... light, lamp literally: That which gives light; enlightener.
Chuck Currie, eternally grateful Backun Artist
The instrument has a great tone and everything is great but mine did come with a small problem. My clarinet b key in the left hand pinky cluster has trouble playing. It sometimes plays and other it squeals although it's brand new. I'm going to see if the pad just needs time to adjust.
I am literally ecstatic about my new set of Lumieres. Wow, I am really blown away by how fantastic they sound, the perfect intonation and the ease of playing. I can’t wait to get to know them better.
The Lumiere is really a special instrument. From the depth of sound to smoothness of the keys, playing this clarinet is a dream come true.
Major thanks to Dr. Druhan and Victor Drescher in helping me find this beauty!
I had the opportunity to try the cocobolo and granadilla Lumières. Although I preferred the granadilla version, I was amazed by the consistency of intonation in both clarinets. It's very rare that you can get an amazing clarinet without trying many before finding a good one. The tone is beautifully clear, centered, and consistent throughout all registers. The throat notes sounds resonant and in tune without the need of resonant alternate fingers. Playing through all registers comes effortlessly and with the perfect amount of resistance. After trying various top models of a mayor brand without success in finding a great clarinet I have been fortunate to find in the first try the most amazing and beautiful instrument. Thanks Sean for suggesting the Lumière to me.
Performing in orchestral, chamber, solo, and recording settings, gradually I realized I was working too hard in terms of intonation. I decided that I would only change instruments or brands if I found an instrument that met my needs in terms of pitch while not compromising on sound quality. In the Lumiere, I found what I was looking for in pitch, but so much more. I have never played instruments with more consistent resistance, response, and tone. The sound is direct and focused, yet covered and warm. These horns can do all that I need as someone who performs contemporary and standard repertoire in a variety of settings. The Bb offers an effortless focus and projection, and the A has an ease and fluidity unlike anything I have experienced. When it comes to equipment, the goal is finding the horn and accessories that make it easiest for your voice to come through. Backun has streamlined that process for me--beautiful craftmanship with the performer in mind.
I’m absolutely blown away by the vibrancy and complexity in the sound. The response and tonal evenness throughout the registers feels like a meticulously handpicked instrument, and then some. I was hoping for a supercar of clarinets, and I was not let down. Receiving this clarinet and starting to play on it has made all of 2020 a lot better for me!
My previous Bb clarinet was the Bacun Q model. That clarinet was easier to play and had a brighter tone compared to the R13. But the Lumiere far surpassed the Q. It has a more beautiful/richer tone and the ease of playing exceeds expectations . A true joy to play.
Playing my Lumiere clarinets is the joy I needed to find in a 2024 world full of madness. Thank you to the Backun team for the beauty you bring to all of us.
The Backun Lumière clarinet is a fantastic clarinet.
From the moment I played the horn, I immediately felt conformable with all registers throughout the clarinet.
As a jazz and classical artist, pitch is something I pay a lot of attention to, and the pitch was incredibly consistent from the lowest notes to the highest ones.
The response of the clarinet was quick and effortless… it truly allowed me to play any style of music without having to change anything on my personal set up.
In addition, the wonderful tone of the cocobolo wood is by far one of my favorite things about this amazing clarinet. Having the option of picking Cocobolo wood brings out a sweet, brighter tone which favors my style of playing.
In simpler words: all around and amazing, consistent, and easy to play clarinet that has been built with the most amount of care anyone could have done.
Best clarinet in the universe. The more I play it, the more I love it. Aside from the tone and intonation, crossing the break (both of them) is easier/smoother than ever. Altissimo notes speak well, large intervals speak well, and the overall ergonomics are fabulous. I also love that Backun makes a custom plate for the Kooiman thumbrest, which I use on my other clarinets. Installing it was a breeze.
I was prepared not to like this brand, but I was wrong.
I've been playing clarinet for 50 years. It was time for a new instrument. I tried 13 other clarinets of all brands, and this one surprised me. It was special. It sang to me.
I’m thrilled to own a Lumiere A Clarinet. It is a work of art. A beautiful instrument with impeccable intonation, lush tone, sophisticated mechanisms. It improves with each passing day as the instrument mellows and the player adjusts. I have no doubt this is the beginning of a musical love affair.
Now, here’s the rest of the feedback. When I called with questions I was immediately put in touch with Morrie Backun and he walked me through it and educated me in some of the vicissitudes of wood and wind. We found a flaw in some keys and without hesitation he said “send it to us. We’ll fix it”.(the keys were likely damaged in transit). His kind attention was unexpected and really helped boost my confidence in the instrument and Backun Musical.
For first time buyers: this clarinet arrives unseasoned. Follow the instructions for breaking it in. After a month you’ll see why. Mr. Backun told me it’s designed to change with time. It mellows and settles into itself. Every day I pick it up and can’t wait to hear the subtle changes.
Thanks again to Sean & Co for answering every question and offering thoughtful advice.
And thanks to the Backun clarinet-makers. I don’t know your names, but I now know and appreciate your painstaking artful work.
Store owner replied:
Thank you for your kind words, Robert! All of us here at Backun are thrilled to hear that your new Lumière A Clarinet has lived up to your high expectations.
After I decided on a Bb (Please see that review as it also applies to the A) Joel Jaffe had me try this A. I played the opening of the Adagio of the Mozart Concerto. That is all it took to realize that it is a special instrument. It was nice of Joel Jaffe to bring these instruments to Mesa as he was there to preview the new Bass. At least I made the return trip easier with two less instruments to take back.
Don't make up your mind till you play and hear these wonderful instruments.
Store owner replied:
Hi Eric, we are thrilled to hear that your Lumière Clarinets have exceeded your expectations! Thank you for your kind words.
I have heard fantastic things about the Lumiere. After playing one scale I could tell this was a major advance. I have played Selmer Signature for many years with Backun barrels, bells and mouthpieces. It was a clear advance from what had been years of stagnation in clarinet design.
Lumiere leapfroged, or rather Backun, to a new standard of intonation and playability. Very grateful to Joel and Sean Lucias for making this possible.
Store owner replied:
Hi Eric, we are thrilled to hear that your Lumière Clarinets have exceeded your expectations! Thank you for your kind words.
I must say, the Lumiére records beautifully. There's something about its acoustic makeup that really meets a microphone, especially in the type of close miking I do for my music. Even the engineer was commenting on it.
My Backun Lumiere is all that I had hoped for and more.
The attention to materials and detail of craftsmanship all live up to the high standards of Mr. Morrie Backun and all of his highly skilled team. Thank you all.
Thanks also to Dawke’s Music of London for their professional assistance and their very liberal two week evaluation period. At the end of that liberal evaluation period I happily agreed to this marvelous purchase!
My new Lumière A clarinet in cocobolo is excellent in tuning and superb in its dynamic range, particularly with respect to its ability to play at previously difficult low dynamic levels. How wonderful to be able to play expressively without the constant attention to the vagaries of an instrument's tuning. I also have the feeling that I can "push" the dynamics if I need to without sacrificing tone and tuning. Thank you, Backun!
I have purchased a number of professional clarinet sets, including Mobas--both Grandillia and Cocobolo--as well as carbon fiber and Lumiere--both Grandillia and Cocobolo. I have a number of professional clarinet sets from basically all of the other well known manufactures. In my view, the Backun clarinets and accessories are absolutely the best clarinets and accessories available in the world. They play spectacularly and evidence the highest quality of materials, manufacturing, attention to every detail and craftsmanship. From my personal experience, Morrie Backun and his staff are totally dedicated to producing the finest quality instruments--they obviously focus on quality over volume production. I highly recommend all of the Backun product line as a customer who keeps going back for more of their fantastic products.
The Lumiere is the best instrument I have ever played. It displays a quality of intonation I never thought was possible on any woodwind instrument. It allows you to stop fighting the instrument and to put all your focus into being as expressive as possible.
The Lumiere is the best instrument I have ever played. It displays a quality of intonation I never thought was possible on any woodwind instrument. It allows you to stop fighting the instrument and to put all your focus into being as expressive as possible.
My Grenadilla/Silver Lumiere A clarinet has an evenness of sound and response unlike any other A clarinet I've ever played. Many A clarinets out there feel stuffy or hollow, but my Lumiere has the same ring and "ping" to the sound as my Bb clarinet (also a Lumiere). These clarinets have a sound that honors the tonal traditions of the past, but the flexibility to play with a wide range of tone colors with impeccable intonation. This is a brilliant instrument!
I have never played an A clarinet that speaks so easily and clearly. It is a wonderful experience. It plays as easily as the Bb, but maintains the tone and color of an A.
It's a work of art! I couldn't be happier with my new Bb Backun Lumiere. Its response, feel, intonation and voice are beyond my expectations. And, the attention to detail in its construction is phenomenal.
My Backun Lumiere performs beyond my highest expectations. The response, projection, intonation and feel are unsurpassed in my 25 years with a concert band.
My Backun Lumiere performs beyond my highest expectations. The response, projection, intonation and feel are unsurpassed in my 25 years with a concert band.
Performing in orchestral, chamber, solo, and recording settings, gradually I realized I was working too hard in terms of intonation. I decided that I would only change instruments or brands if I found an instrument that met my needs in terms of pitch while not compromising on sound quality. In the Lumiere, I found what I was looking for in pitch, but so much more. I have never played instruments with more consistent resistance, response, and tone. The sound is direct and focused, yet covered and warm. These horns can do all that I need as someone who performs contemporary and standard repertoire in a variety of settings. The Bb offers an effortless focus and projection, and the A has an ease and fluidity unlike anything I have experienced. When it comes to equipment, the goal is finding the horn and accessories that make it easiest for your voice to come through. Backun has streamlined that process for me--beautiful craftmanship with the performer in mind.
