# Favorite Under-the-Radar Clarinet Concertos



## Bevo

I personally love Clarinet Concertos, and have recently done a bit of searching to find some quite charming works that don't get the same recognition as others. So I think we can all agree that perhaps the most popular, or at least most performed, concertos nowadays are the ones by Mozart, Weber, Copland, and Nielsen. Other than those though, which particular concertos are your favorite? I personally find those by Krommer to be outstanding! I love his concerto for two Clarinets, and his E Minor one has a hint of Beethoven flair to my ears. Stamitz also wrote some great concertos for this instrument as well. Again, it's not to say these composers or works have been "forgotten," just less popular than the leading ones. But what are your favorite from composers such as these, Crusell, Spohr, etc...?


----------



## Art Rock

Of the others mentioned, the three by Crusell. Finzi wrote one of the very best clarinet concertos. Also check out Kozeluch from the classical era, and Tchaikovsky. Boris Tchaikovsky, that is.


----------



## Albert7

Not a standard clarinet concerto but it counts for me:


----------



## Nereffid

Two modern concertos that have stood out for me as highly entertaining are Kimmo Hakola's clarinet concerto and Derek Bermel's "Voices". Not quite the same as Crusell or Spohr, I grant you...


----------



## elgar's ghost

Those by William Mathias, Paul Hindemith and Artie Shaw spring to mind.


----------



## musicrom

Not mentioned yet are Backofen's Clarinet Concertos, of which I recall being impressed by one of them. I'd also second the Crusell concertos.


----------



## MagneticGhost

I heard Malcolm Arnold's Clarinet Concerto just last week for the first time. Fun!!


----------



## Handel

I really enjoyed Bernhard Henrik Crusell (1775-1838) clarinet concertos. Never heard of that composer before.

Concerto nr 2 in F minor (c. 1817)
Uppsala Kammarorkester, Gérard Korsten
clarinet: Per Billman


----------



## ptr

Not really a "concerto", but Magnus Lindberg's "Ablauf" (for Clarinet or other reed instrument and two Grand Cassa) is and awesome chamber work!






/ptr


----------



## oldwhig

Also for those who want a modern flavor, there's Kaleevi Aho, paired here with the Nielsen.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QMD14M/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp


----------



## oldwhig

Lindberg also has a "proper" Clarinet Concerto:

http://www.amazon.com/Lindberg-M-Cl...=1425336236&sr=1-1&keywords=lindberg+clarinet


----------



## Bruce

*CCs*

One of my own favorites is the clarinet concerto by John Corigliano. For me, it's one of the most idiomatic concerti written for this instrument. I'm also quite fond of the 2nd clarinet concerto by Malcolm Arnold.


----------



## hpowders

The two Weber Concertos plus the Weber Clarinet Concertino are all very fine, devilishly difficult to play and a lot of fun to listen to.


----------



## hpowders

I was at the premiere performance of the Corigliano Clarinet Concerto at the NY Philharmonic and I'll never forget Stanley Drucker's virtuosic performance including some amazing trills reaching up into the stratosphere!


----------



## Kivimees

Jean Francaix:


----------



## Überstürzter Neumann




----------



## Heliogabo

You should try this recording: three clarinet concertos of 21st century, by composers from three different regions of the Americas









Three tonal works, and three different kinds of beauty.


----------



## Xaltotun

Definitely not an expert on this field but count me amongst those who really like the Crusell ones.


----------



## hpowders

If you like contemporary music, give the John Corigliano Clarinet Concerto a listen.

I was at the premiere with Stanley Drucker, the now-retired principal clarinetist of the NY Philharmonic as soloist, and it was unforgettable!


----------



## QuietGuy

Has anyone mentioned Robert Aldridge's Clarinet Concerto?


----------



## Haydn man

I recently heard the Spohr Concerto's for the first time and found them enjoyable.
Crusell and Weber have long been favourites of mine


----------



## vis756

Totally agree. The finale of number 2 is astonishing.


----------



## Sina

Something very different but my most favorite, Brian Ferneyhough's La Chute d'lcare (Petite sérénade de la disparition) (1988) for clarinet & ensemble


----------



## Lukecash12

Three writers I can think of, whom I love in terms of the clarinet and oboe, would be Holzbauer, Lebrun, and Hoffmeister.


----------



## dbcrow

I share your love for clarinet concertos (and clarinet works in general). I join the chorus of Crusell supporters. Joachim Molter has some of the earliest known clarinet concertos, from the Baroque period (delightfully interpreted by Henk de Graf). From the 20th Century, I'm a big fan of Tansman, who wrote a clarinet concerto, concerto for clarinet, oboe, and strings, and several chamber works for clarinet. 

Great thread!


----------



## starthrower

One of my favorites!


----------



## musicrom

starthrower said:


> One of my favorites!


Agreed! The Lindberg CC is great!


----------



## Guest

And I was at the Corigliano's premiere in L.A. That was probably after the N.Y. premiere. I was blown away by it. At the time, I lived about a 90 minute drive from the music center. 60 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. I went on Friday evening. 

I was back in the Dorothy Chandler on Saturday and then again on Sunday. That's how much I wanted to hear it again.

I've always been glad I had gotten tickets for Friday. And that I didn't mind driving back then. You know, all the things that made my subsequent extravagances possible.


----------



## kanishknishar

as some earlier mentioned ----- Backofen's Clarinet Concertos!

some of the best works in the field.....!!!!!!


the more i listen to them the more i am pulled....


----------



## joen_cph

I like Spohr´s 3rd, very Weberesque, in particular, though I know it´s considered perhaps the formally weakest of them.

As far as I remember, Ruders´ is one of his more attractive works. And Finzi´s. 
Don´t remember Hindemith´s, or Takemitsu´s, or Englund´s.

And there´s Bruch´s Double Concerto too, with Viola - a fine work.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinet_concerto)


----------



## Joachim Raff

I love the Crusell and Spohr concertos 
Also Carl and Johann Stamitz produced some very fine concertos
but looks like we have missed a real gem. 
My favourite of all time is the *Stanford's Clarinet Concerto.
*








Also another and my 2nd Choice of an unsung composer would be *Julius Rietz Clarinet Concerto*. A real find


----------



## CnC Bartok

My favourite Clarinet Concertos are either the Nielsen, or the Finzi.

I am either heartened to note the latter has only been mentioned once so far here (suggesting it's not under the radar), or very puzzled (in that it's not that well known or well liked. It's a fabulous piece!


----------



## MrMeatScience

I'll second the earlier poster who mentioned the Kozeluch concerti. Busoni also wrote a nice concertino for the instrument. The clarinet's really an excellent solo instrument, I'm surprised more major composers didn't write concerti for it.


----------



## Common Listener

I was just coming to second the Finzi and the last two posts are about Finzi and seconding. 

-- (Maybe that's not clear: I'd seen this thread earlier and hadn't replied because the Finzi had been mentioned and then it occurred to me I could at least emphasize it.)


----------

