1782, Theodore
Lotz of Pressburg made some modifications in the instrument, which was
further improved by two instrumentalists of Vienna, Anton and Johann
Stadler, and finally in 1812 by Iwan Mueller, a famous clarinettist, who
invented the alto clarinet in Eb from the basset horn, by giving the latter
a construction and fingering analogous to those of the clarinet in Bb,
which he took as his model, instead of the clarinet in C.

See J. G. H. Backofen, _Anweisung zur Klarinette, nebst einer kurzen
Abhandlung ueber das Basset-Horn_, with illustration, p. 37 (Leipzig,
Breitkopf & Haertel, 1803); Iwan Mueller, _Anweisung zu der neuen
Clarinette und der Clarinette-alto, nebst einigen Bemerkungen fuer
Instrumentenmacher_ (Leipzig, Freidrich Hofmeister, 1826, with
illustrations); Gottfried Weber, "Ueber Clarinette und Bassethorn,"
_Cacilia_, Band xi. pp. 35-37 (Mainz, 1834); Wilhelm Altenburg, _Die
Clarinette, ihre Entstehung und Entwickelung bis zur Jetztzeit in
akustischer, technischer u. musikalischer Beziehung_ (Heilbronn, 1904), pp.
16-32; good heliogravures of early basset horns in _Descriptive Catalogue
of the Musical Instruments at the Royal Military Exhibition, London_, 1890,
compiled by Capt. C. R. Day (1891), pl. v.

(K. S.)

[1] An instrument of this type, stamped "H. Grenser, S. Wiesner, Dresden,"
is in the collection of the Rev. F. W. Galpin, of Hatfield, Broad Oak.

[2] _Cantor Lectures on Musical Instruments, their Construction and
Capabilities_, by A. J. Hipkins, p. 15; Henri Lavoix, _Histoire de
l'instrumentation depuis le seizieme siecle jusqu'a nos jours_ (Paris,
1878), on p. 123 the date is given as 1777.

BASSI, LAURA MARIA CATERINA (1711-1778), an Italian lady eminently
distinguished for her learning, was born at Bologna in 1711. On account of
her extraordinary attainments she received a doctor's degree, and was
appointed professor in the philosophical college, where she delivered
public lectures on experimental philosophy till the time of her death. She
was elected member of many literary societies and carried on an extensive
correspondence with the most eminent European men of letters. She was well
acquainted with classical literature, as well as with that of France and
Italy. In 1738 she married Giuseppe Verrati, a physician, and left several
children. She died in 1778.

BASSI, UGO (1800-1849), Italian patriot, was born at Cento, and received
his early education at Bologna. An unhappy love affa