# Babbitt: Clarinet Quintet



## soni (Jul 3, 2018)

Babbitt's Clarinet Quintet is currently on the 101st tier (lol) of the Talk Classical community's favorite and most highly recommended works.

*What do you think of this work? Had you heard of it prior to this thread?*

I'm continually amazed by how great Milton Babbitt's music is - it seems to me that his obscure works are just as good as his better known ones like All Set and Philomel.

This particular work is very beautiful and joyful, with some incredible textures created through the interactions between the clarinet and the string quartet. I think this is a good work for anyone with the false belief that Babbitt was a dry academic who didn't care if you listened to his music. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was actually a tonal (though incredibly complex) work and not a composition by one of the strictest serialists in the modernist repertoire.

Listen to it here!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Sounds good, thanks!


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Babbitt has really grown on me. Some great sound combinations here. Also the music doesn't lack drama or character. I don't buy isolated moments in time business i hear sometimes.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

It is probably the only work of Babbit's I know. I do quite like it but it hasn't led yet to my exploring more of his music.


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

just listening now. It is so evocative and delicate at times. Thanks soni, another piece to be added to my absurdly large collection.


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