Clarinet concerto

This article is about clarinet concertos in general. For specific concertos, see Clarinet Concerto (disambiguation).
Score of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with basset clarinet (Leitner & Kraus)

A clarinet concerto is a concerto for clarinet; that is, a musical composition for solo clarinet together with a large ensemble (such as an orchestra or concert band). Albert Rice has identified a work by Giuseppe Antonio Paganelli as possibly the earliest known concerto for solo clarinet; its score appears to be titled "Concerto per il Clareto" and may date from 1733. It may, however, be intended for soprano chalumeau.[1] There are earlier concerti grossi with concertino clarinet parts including two by Johann Valentin Rathgeber, published in 1728.[2]

Famed publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel published the first clarinet concerto in 1772. The instrument's popularity soared and a flurry of early clarinet concertos ensued.[3] Many of these early concertos have largely been forgotten, though German clarinettist Dieter Klocker specialized in these "lost" works.[4] Famous clarinet concertos of the Classical and early Romantic era include those of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber and Louis Spohr.

Relatively few clarinet concertos, or wind instrument concertos generally, were produced during the middle and late Romantic music era, but the form became more popular in the twentieth century, with famous clarinet concertos from Carl Nielsen and Aaron Copland, as well as more recent ones by composers such as John Adams, Kalevi Aho, Elliott Carter, John Corigliano, Magnus Lindberg, Donald Martino, Christopher Rouse, and John Williams.

  1. ^ Rice, Albert R. (1992). The Baroque Clarinet. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 99–101.
  2. ^ Rice, Albert R. (1992). The Baroque Clarinet. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 93–94.
  3. ^ Hoeprich, Erich (2008). The clarinet. Yale University Press. p. 81 & 82. ISBN 978-0-300-10282-6.
  4. ^ "Dieter Klocker Discography".