Best Concertos for Clarinet

Although I prefer the oboe among woodwind instruments, recently, I have also come to appreciate the clarinet with its rich variety of expression and its warm timbre - perhaps I am getting "mellow", too. The clarinet's expressive power has attracted composers like Mozart, Weber, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Krommer, Pleyel, Stamitz, Brahms and many others. So it is time to delve deeper into clarinet music!

The clarinet is a relative newcomer among woodwind instruments. It is generally believed to have been invented by the Nuremberg instrument maker Johann Christoph Denner (1655-1707) at the start of the 18th c., based on the more primitive chalumeau. The name comes from "clarinetto," a diminutive of the Italian "clarino," a type of trumpet, and points at its rich sound register of approximately 4 octaves (the largest of any woodwind instrument). 

The clarinet produces sound by means of a single reed attached to the mouthpiece.
A number of physical finger keys are attached to the cylindrical section and are used to vary the pitch. The configuration that is now standard was perfected by Klosé in the mid-nineteenth century, based on the ideas of Theobald Boehm, and is therefore called the "Boehm clarinet." For making a clarinet, since the second half of the 19th c., grenadilla wood has been mainly used. This wood is almost black in color and is also used for piccolos and oboes.

The clarinet's cylindrical bore distinguishes it from the oboe and saxophone, both of which have conical bores. Its warm tone in the low register can be extremely bright and even piercing in the high register. The soprano clarinet (in B♭) is the most common model, but there are also clarinets in A, E♭ or C.

In classical music, clarinets are part of the standard orchestra, which frequently includes two clarinetists playing individual parts - each player is usually equipped with a pair of standard clarinets in B♭ and A, and clarinet parts commonly alternate  several times between these instruments during a concert. Clarinet sections grew larger during the last few decades of the 19th century, often employing a third clarinetist, an E♭ or a bass clarinet. 

The clarinet is also widely used as a solo instrument. The relatively late evolution of the clarinet (when compared to other orchestral woodwinds) means that we have  almost no works from the Baroque era - the first concerto was written in the 1740s by Molter. In contrast, solo repertoire from the Classical and early Romantic periods is very rich. In the 1790s (when Mozart wrote his famous concerto) and the early 1800s many beautiful clarinet concertos saw the light of day. There is a dip in the high Romantic period, but the we see more concertos again in the 20th c., with a bulge in the 1940s.

The clarinet also plays an important role in chamber music, for example clarinet sonatas, clarinet trios, quartets and quintets. Here we will look at the concertos for clarinet, the chamber music will be discussed in another post.

So what are the best clarinet concertos?

1. Johann Melchior Molter, Clarinet Concerto in D (between 1743 and 1747)

Johann Melchior Molter (1696-1765) is a German Baroque composer who was influenced by Telemann (his teacher) and Lully, but also stood with one leg in early Classicism. He wrote five clarinet concertos, the earliest we know. He used a high clarinet in D with two keys. This instrument played well in the middle register with a loud, shrill sound, so it was given the name clarinetto meaning "little trumpet" (from clarino + -etto) - and indeed it not only has a trumpet-like sound, but is also treated as a trumpet by the composer. The deep register is not used and there are many trumpet-like fanfares.

Recording listened to: Thomas Friedli (clarinet) with South-West German Chamber Orchestra, Paul Angerer on Claves.

2. Johann Stamitz, Clarinet Concerto in B flat major (before 1757)

Johann Stamitz (1717-1757) came from an Austrian family of musicians. In 1745, he became court chapel master in Mannheim and made the orchestra consisting of excellent European top-class musicians famous throughout Europe. He thus became the founder of the so-called Mannheimer School, which had a great influence on the development of the symphony and the manner of orchestral playing. Stamitz developed a new orchestral style and gave the symphony a fourth movement in the form of the minuet; the wind instruments such as the clarinet were given more weight in the orchestra - the clarinet made its entry into the German court orchestras around 1750. Stamitz' music is stylistically transitional between Baroque and Classical periods.

His two sons, Carl and Anton Stamitz, were also active as instrumentalists and composers and especially Carl wrote many clarinet concertos (see below).

Listen to: Clarinet: Sérgio Pires; Orchestra: Musikkollegium Winterthur

3. Carl Stamitz, Concerto in B flat major for Two Clarinets and Orchestra (ca. 1780)

The new orchestral sound of the Mannheim court orchestra mentioned above, was partially due to the clarinet, which also became an epoch-making solo instrument. One of the instrument's foremost protagonists was Carl Stamitz (1745-1801), eldest son of Johann Stamitz. Eleven concertos for clarinet alone by Carl Stamitz (of which 9 are definitely by him) as well as several double concertos are known to us. At age 25, Carl moved to Paris where he became internationally famous as "Stamitz-fils." He became the musical director of the private orchestra of the Duke of Noailles, and also met the famous clarinet virtuoso Johann Beer, with whom he played together. One such composition is the present double concerto, which they performed at the "Concerts spirituels." One clarinet part can also be played on the violin, as in the recording below.

Nazar Yasnytskyy, violin, and Taras Demchyshyn, clarinet; Hibiki Strings of Japan.

4. Ignaz Pleyel, Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in C, Ben106 (before 1797, probably 1780s)

The problem with Pleyel's concertos is that each work survives in several settings - and solistic versions, respectively. One concerto (Ben104) is for example known in 9 versions for cello, but there are also versions of the same work for viola, clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon and fortepiano! The above concerto Ben106 is known in versions in C major for clarinet but also for cello and for flute. It was notated in C (and thus for a C clarinet) because that was the best common denominator for these 3 solo instruments (and it also meant it could be avoided to have several different versions for these instruments printed) - it was not because of any special ideas of sound. As the C clarinet has a rather sharp tone and is today almost never used for classical virtuoso concertos, the work is also often played transposed to the key of B flat. It is a superior work and is regarded as the most important clarinet concerto prior to Mozart, in which the whole palette of the clarinet is explored - it was first published in 1797, later than Mozart's concerto, but probably dates from the 1780s when Pleyel was active in Strasbourg.

Recording listened to: Dieter Kloecker, Clarinet, and Suedwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, conducted by Sebastian Tewinkel on CPO.

5. Antonio Rosetti, Concerto No. 1 in E flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra (ca. 1781)

This concerto by the Bohemian composer Antonio Rosetti (František Antonín Rössler, 1750-1792) was already in wide circulation during the 18th c. and also exists in a version for flute (transposed to G). It begins with an energetic Allegro assai - in this early work already pointing to the style of Rosettti's later symphonies. The high virtuosity of the clarinet is a sure indication of Rosetti's familiarity with virtuoso works for the instrument. The slow movement is a Romance which gives the opportunity for an intimate dialogue between clarinet and orchestra - not without a certain melancholy. A spirited Rondo concludes the concerto with a bouncy melody and virtuoso passage work. Rosetti's style in this concerto demonstrates a happy combination of French elements with melodies of Bohemian character.

Recording listened to: Dieter Kloecker, Clarinet, with SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg conducted by Holger Schroeter-Seebeck on CPO.

6. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Clarinet Concerto in A major K. 622 (1791)

Mozart wrote a magnificent work for clarinet, for Anton Stadler, a close friend and a clarinet and basset horn virtuoso in the Vienna Court Orchestra. The oboe has an almost uniform tone, whereas the clarinet is attractive in that its tone changes according to the lower, middle, and higher registers, allowing for a greater range and depth of expression. Mozart had already well grasped these characteristics of the clarinet, which was still a new instrument at the time, and especially made the lowest notes resonate well enough to create a contrasting effect with the higher notes. In this aspect, he is said to have set the precedent for Weber and other Romantic composers.

The fact that both the Clarinet Concerto and the Clarinet Quintet are in A major with the A clarinet instead of the more common B-flat clarinet, seems to have been Mozart's intention. A major, along with G minor, is a tonality that is perfectly suited to the qualities of Mozart's music, which always has a pleasantly lively and sensual mood, and this piece is incomparably beautiful because it blends these tones magnificently into the quiet, clear sound that is typical of Mozart's last years.

(Partly cited from my blog article Music in A Major) 

Listen to: Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Cornelius Meister, conductor, with Arngunnur Árnadóttir, clarinet.

7. Jean Xavier Lefèvre, Clarinet Concerto No. 4 in B flat (1797)

Another musician who was active in Paris was Swiss-born Jean Xavier Lefèvre (1763-1829, who wrote (among other works) six concertos for clarinet and a sinfonia concertante for clarinet and bassoon. He played the first clarinet in the Paris Grand Opera Orchestra and was one of the first clarinet teachers employed by the Conservatoire (founded in 1795), so that he exercised a lasting influence on the development of the new generation of French clarinettists. Besides that, he was also a pioneer of clarinet construction.

"The melodies of the almost symphonic first movement of the 4th concerto in B flat, put one in mind of Mozart. Lefevre shares a predilection for wide leaps with his pupil Henrik Crusell (see No. 11 below). Lefevre further complicates these with short thrills, which he also adds to rapid triplet runs in order to display his skill. The slow movement's sightly melancholy character is underlined by the first violins' descending chromatisms, The Rondo-Finale mixes tutti repeats of the main theme with a richly decorated G minor episode and brilliant sextuplets for maximum variety. The work ends with a thematic quote from the beginning." (Cited from liner notes by Walter Labhart)

Recording listened to: Eduard Brunner, Clarinet, with Muenchener Kammerorchester conducted by Reinhard Goebel on Tudor.

8. Antonio Casimir Cartellieri, Concerto for Two Clarinets & Orchestra in B flat major (1797)

Cartellieri was active in  Vienna during his short life and shares the period style with the young Beethoven. This concerto opens with a dramatic timpani stroke, like the two opening explosive chords of Beethoven’s Eroica. But it is also a light and merry concerto, with excitingly voluble dialogues of the two solo clarinets and a boisterous Rondo-finale. The orchestral outbursts display a dramatic impact and grandeur that go beyond Mozart and Haydn (and the presence of trumpets in the orchestration certainly contributes). The reflexive Larghetto may als remind of the middle movement of Beethoven's Violin Concerto, not just because of its identity of tempo indication, but because of the accompaniment from the strings' pizzicati that occurs at various points. The first movement also has not one but two cadenzas, which is something not often encountered in the music of the era. Cartellieri's double concerto was spurred, with many others by composers of the era, by the improvements of the instrument’s design and the appearance of new generations of virtuosi. 

Recording listened to: Dieter Klöcker and Sandra Arnold, clarinet, with Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra conducted by Pavel Prantl on MDG.

9. Joseph Leopold Eybler, Concerto in B flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra (1798)

A charming, refreshing concerto. Eybler's Clarinet Concerto in B-flat major was written in 1798, probably for Mozart's clarinetist Anton Stadler, the clarinet superstar of his times. Closely demonstrating the musical influences of Mozart and Haydn, it is a marvelous concerto by a truly underrated composer who deserves to be better known.

Although Joseph Leopold Edler von Eybler (1765 - 1846) was a contemporary and friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, he lived 55 years longer. Eybler was born into a musical family in Schwechat near Vienna. His father was a teacher, choir director and friend of the Haydn family. Joseph Eybler studied music with his father before attending Stephansdom (the cathedral school of St. Stephen's Boys College) in Vienna. He studied composition under Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, who declared him to be the greatest musical genius in Vienna apart from Mozart. He also received praise from Haydn who was his friend, distant cousin and patron.

Performance listened to: Eduard Brunner, clarinet, with Bamberg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Stadlmair on Tudor.

10. Franz Krommer, Clarinet Concerto in E flat Op 36 (1803)

A lyrical clarinet concerto that follows the classical model, with a long, engaging first movement containing a double exposition. The Adagio has a plaintive solo line while the finale skips along joyously, entirely untroubled. Krommer – a violinist himself – clearly loved writing for woodwinds, as he also composed two double clarinet concertos.

The Moravian composer František Vincenc Kramář (also: Franz Krommer, 1759 - 1831) studied in Vienna from 1785. Then he entered into various positions in Hungary, but in 1810 he returned to Vienna. After the death of Leopold Anton Kozeluch, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's successor, in the year 1818, Kramář was appointed imperial court composer and court chapel master at the court of the Emperor of Austria. 

As a composer, he wrote more than 300 works, including more than 100 string quartets, violin, oboe and clarinet concertos, works for harmony music, wind suites, masses and sacred music. In terms of style, he is in the tradition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn, but he also uses Hungarian elements in several compositions. 

Listen to: Clarinetist - Tang Weiguo; Guiyang Symphony Orchestra; Conductor - Yang Yang;

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11. Bernhard Hendrik Crusell, "Grand" Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op.5 (1808)

One of the most celebrated clarinet concertos by Crusell, who was born in Finland, but studied and worked in Sweden, Germany and France. In 1803 he studied the clarinet in Paris under Lefebre, and later wrote three clarinet concertos. The layout of the three movements of this concerto is firmly classical, although here and there one notices the influence of Beethoven, for example in the concentrated and dramatic opening ritornello. But with the arrival of the clarinet the piece becomes predominantly lyrical, despite wide leaps and virtuoso passage-work. The slow movement is an Andante pastorale in D flat major and has much of the romantic warmth traditionally associated with that key. It is scored for clarinet and strings alone. Despite the return to F minor, the final Rondo is high-spirited and provides ample opportunity for technical display.

Listen to: Han Kim with Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hannu Lintu.

12. Louis Spohr, Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in C Minor, Op.26 (1808)

The music of Louis Spohr displays fine craftsmanship within a conventional, bourgeois epoch between Classicism and Romanticism. His four clarinet concertos were inspired by Gotha clarinettist Johann Simon Hermstedt, who was known for the beautiful sound with which he played. The dramatic opening Adagio of the first concerto includes the germ of the first subject of the following Allegro, taken up by the clarinet and embroidered with brilliance. The same thematic material is the source of the lyrical second subject. The second movement, an Adagio, starts with a clarinet melody of moving simplicity and potential dramatic content. This serene movement gives way to the final Rondo, its principal theme announced by the clarinet. The lively movement  provides a brilliant conclusion to this fascinating concerto.

Listen to: Aron Chiesa with Brussel Philharmonic Orchestra, dir. Antonio Saiote

13. Philip Jakob Riotte, Clarinet Concerto in B-flat major Op. 24 (1809)

This clarinet concerto formed the debut as composer of Riotte - it was first performed in 1804 by clarinettist Hofmann, who deceived Riotte by selling it to a publisher and pocketing the money. So the composer changed the dedication and published the concerto with Breitkopf in 1809. The orchestral forces employed, the structure and the themes are based on the tradition of Mozart and Haydn. Its melodies are attractive and the harmonic progressions often provide surprising turns that already point toward romantic trends. In the solidly constructed first movement the technical capabilities of the clarinet are fully explored. The slow movement spotlights the cantabile character of the clarinet's middle range. The concluding rondo is typical for the time: the Polonaise rhythm employed was very popular at the turn of the century - and a final stretta is not lacking. A valuable addition to the clarinet repertoire.

Performance listened to: Dieter Kloecker, clarinet, with Stuttgarter Kammerorchester conducted by Gernot Schmalfuss on Novalis.

14. Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Concerto in B flat major for clarinet and orchestra, Op. 3 (1809?)

Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen (1768 – 1830?) was a German clarinetist, composer and painter. In his time Backofen enjoyed great fame; he was not only known as a composer for, and virtuoso of the clarinet, but also played the harp, flute and basset horn. His year of death is not known with certainty; a year of 1839 is found in some documents.

Backofen wrote three clarinet concertos, mainly for his own use, at a time when Spohr and Weber were also creating exceptional works for the clarinet. Backofen's concertos formed part of the early romantic atmosphere - especially in his slow movements he immersed himself in an emotional world which pointed ahead to the future. Qua form, Backofen was still based in Viennese Classicism. The solo winds in the orchestra play in splendid correspondence to the solo instrument. Interestingly, his concluding movements (as in this concerto) often possess a Spanish coloration.

Heartfelt music that is immediately accessible to the listener.

Recording listened to: Dieter Kloecker with SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern conducted by Johannes Moesus on CPO.

15. Weber, Clarinet Concerto no. 1 in F minor, Op. 73 (1811)

Written for the great Heinrich Baermann in 1811, Weber’s First Clarinet Concerto is an excellent showpiece. The opening movement has a lengthy, dramatic orchestral introduction before the clarinet steals in, eventually breaking into virtuoso display. The stormy nature of the movement shows itself to be quite capable of assimilating the clarinet's gift for lively melody and virtuosity., just as the beautiful song that opens the Adagio can yield naturally to bright arpeggios decorating it. The most original feature of the movement is the slow chorale-like melody on the horns, against whose sombre tone the clarinet utters a new melody. The finale is a nimble Rondo shot through with a wit that no one has quite seen in the clarinet's character before - there are soprano trills but also frequent descents into the instrument’s bass register.

Listen to: Jörg Widmann (clarinet, conductor) with the WDR Symphony Orchestra.

16. Ernesto Cavallini, Clarinet Concerto No 1 in E flat major (1827)

The Italian clarinettist Ernesto Cavallini (1807-1874) has been called "the Paganini of the clarinet." He became the principal clarinetist of La Scala and also taught at the Milan Conservatory. He also spent 15 years performing in St Petersburg from 1852 to 1867. Cavallini played on a six-key boxwood clarinet, which was considered an "outdated" instrument.

As a composer, he is best known for several small pieces as Adagio and Tarantella, Adagio Sentimental, his fantasies, and his 30 Caprices for Clarinet. Cavallini wrote two clarinet concertos. The present one in E flat major was written when the composer was just 20 years of age and premiered by him at the La Scala Theater. It has a classical form. The initial Allegro serves as an introduction and has long cadenzas of the clarinet. The Adagio cantabile has a singing and operatic character and the last Allegro develops some virtuoso variations. Cavallini cited Rossini as an influence in his compositions,

Recording listened to: Giuseppe Porgo, clarinet, with Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock conducted by Johannes Moesus on CPO.

 

17. Carl Nielsen, Clarinet Concerto (1928)

The most influential clarinet concerto of the 20th century is the Nielsen concerto. The Danish composer abandoned classical concerto form - the concerto consists of one long movement, with four thematic groups. It is full of mood swings, and technical solo passages.

The orchestra in this concerto has been reduced to what can be called a chamber orchestra; in addition to strings, there are only 2 bassoons, 2 horns and a small drum on stage. This snare drum has a very prominent role.

Listen to: Sebastian Manz, clarinet, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Dirigent: Herbert Blomstedt

18. Igor Stravinsky, Ebony Concerto for clarinet and jazz band (1945)

Igor Stravinsky wrote the Ebony Concerto in 1945 for the Woody Herman band. It is one in a series of compositions commissioned by the bandleader/clarinetist featuring solo clarinet, and the score is dedicated to him.

Stravinsky decided to create a jazz-based version of a concerto grosso, with a blues as the slow movement. The first movement is a sonata-allegro in B♭ major with a second subject in E♭ major. The second movement is a blues in F minor, turning to F major at the end. The finale is a theme and variations with a coda. The final variation, marked "Vivo", features the solo clarinet in one last virtuoso display.

Listen to: Chris Richards, clarinet, with London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle

19. Paul Hindemith, Clarinet Concerto (1947)

Paul Hindemith's Clarinet Concerto is the first of a series of concertos for wind instruments composed between 1947 and 1949. It was written in 1947 for Benny Goodman, who premiered it in 1950 with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy.

In neo-classical style, it is composed of four movements: the first is a symphonic allegro, very lyrical and full of energy; the second is a complex and witty scherzo; the third is a very graceful pastoral; and the last movement is a lively rondo, which underlines Hindemith's interest in the clarinet as a lyrical instrument.

Listen to: Adrián Hernández Altelarrea, clarinet, with 'Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel' Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dirk Vermeulen

20. Aaron Copland: Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra (1948)

Benny Goodman himself commissioned Aaron Copland to write him a clarinet concerto in 1947 and nor surprisingly, Copland incorporated many jazz elements into his concerto. Copland wrote about it: "Since the instrumentation consists of clarinet, strings, harp, and piano, I didn't have a large percussion section to create jazzy effects, so I used clapping basses and beating harp sounds to simulate them. The Clarinet Concerto ends with a rather elaborate coda in C major that concludes with a clarinet glissando - or "smear" in jazz parlance."

The piece is written in an unusual form. There are two movements which are connected by a composed clarinet cadenza about 2½ minutes long. The first movement, Slowly and expressively, is written in A-B-A form and is full of bittersweet lyricism. The cadenza not only gives the soloist an opportunity to show off his virtuosity, but also introduces many of the melodic Latin jazz themes that dominate the second movement, Rather Fast. The overall form of the final movement is a free-form rondo with several developing secondary themes that resolve at the end in an elaborate coda in C major. Copland remarked that his playful finale consisted of "an unconscious fusion of elements obviously related to North and South American popular music (for example, a phrase from a currently popular Brazilian tune I had heard in Rio was embedded in the secondary material)."

Listen to: Martin Fröst, clarinet, with Norwegian Chamber Orchestra

21. Gerald Finzi, Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra Op. 31 (1949)

Gerald Finzi’s Clarinet Concerto is the finest in the English repertoire. Its moods range from the folkish high spirits of the outer movements to the wistful intimacy of the central adagio. The first movement is often Elgarian in style. It alternates between vigorous, argumentative strings and the more tenderly lyric mood delivered by the clarinet. There is a strong feeling of the English countryside as in so many of this composer's works. The rhapsodic slow movement opens in almost mystical meditation by muted high strings. The lower strings then usher in the movement's principal theme in very Elgarian melancholic nobilmente mood - with the clarinet wandering mournfully around it.  The joyous and carefree rondo finale trips along to one of Finzi's most light-hearted and attractive melodies. Material from the preceding movements is recalled, but the concerto ends with an impetuous flourish.

Listen to: David Hattner, clarinet, with the Portland Youth Philharmonic conducted by Huw Edwards.

22. Jean Francaix, Clarinet Concerto (1967-68)

Jean Françaix has a strong knowledge of the clarinet, which is reflected in this concerto with the French humor typical of the composer. This piece contains multiple acrobatic features of formidable technical difficulty intended to charm the listeners and arouse their attention, apart from the Andantino which is set back from the lively movements (Allegro, Scherzando and Allegrissimo). The work is broadly in line with the French neo-romantic trend, which favors pirouettes, comic phrases, unusual measures, and dynamic contrasts. The different movements of the concerto allow the composer to highlight a writing of great diversity to which the clarinet responds instantly with its own qualities: sentimentality, flexibility, and virtuosity.

This French concerto belongs to the best concertos for clarinet and charms both the public and the soloists. Jean Françaix uses a four-movement form, strongly influenced by the multi-movement sonata form, instead of the usual three-movement concerto model.

Listen to: José-Luis Inglés, clarinet, with Sinfonieorchester Basel, Anu Tali, conductor

[With thanks to relevant public domain articles in either the German, Japanese, Dutch or English Wikipedia]