In works by Rolf Wallin and Kaija Saariaho, the clarinet floats atop massive, shifting musical atmospheres, occasionally punctuated by bursts of percussion. Watershed concertos by John Corigliano, Thea Musgrave, and Poul Ruders are, among other things, pioneering in their use of spatial techniques. Wind Canticle is the final, major work completed by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Stephen Albert before his untimely death, and exhibits the composer’s mastery of mood and harmonic innovations. In the works of José Luis Greco, Henrik Hellstenius, and Ramón Paus, one can perceive the shape of clarinet music to come in the 21st century, with the rigidity of 20th-century style now at our backs.
Please enjoy a Spotify playlist of available recordings of the concertos listed below.
Stephen Albert
Wind Canticle (1991) 14 minutes
2.2(ca).2(bcl).2/4.2.0.0/timp/hp.pf/str
Listen on Spotify | View the score
John Corigliano
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1977) 29 minutes
3+pic.3+ca.2+bcl.3+cbn/6431/timp.3perc/hp.pf/str(14.14.12.12.6 players min)
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Morton Gould
Derivations, for Clarinet and Dance Band (1955) 17 minutes
2asx+tsx+sx[=ww]/0330/2perc/pf/db
Listen on Spotify | View the score
José Luis Greco
La fascinación fue mutua, for bass clarinet and orchestra (2015) 20 minutes
1.1.1.1/2.1.1.0/2perc/pf/str
Listen on YouTube | View the score
Henrik Hellstenius
Still Panic, for bass clarinet and orchestra (2016) 15 minutes
3(pic).3.3(bcl).3(cbn)/4.3.2.0/3perc/pf/str
Watch on Vimeo | View the score
Wlad Marhulets
Concerto for Klezmer Clarinet (2008) 18 minutes
2(pic).2.0.2/4.2.0.0/timp.2perc.dmkit/cel.pf/ebgtr/str (10.8.8.6.4)
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Thea Musgrave
Clarinet Concerto (1968) 24 minutes
2+afl.2+ca.1(bcl).2+cbn/4331/timp.3perc/hp.pf.acn/str
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Ramón Paus
De las ciudades ajenas, for bass clarinet and orchestra (2016) 24 minutes
2.2.2.2/4.3.2+btbn.1/timp.4perc/pf(cel).hp/str
Listen on YouTube | View the score
Poul Ruders
Concerto for Clarinet and Twin-Orchestra (1985) 15 minutes
2.2.2.2/2.2.2.0/4perc/str
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Kaija Saariaho
D’OM LE VRAI SENS (2010) 35 minutes
2(pic.afl).2(ca).2+bcl.1(cbn)/4.1.0.0/timp.4perc/hp.cel/str
Listen on Spotify | View the score
John Tavener
The Repentant Thief (1990) 20 minutes
timp.perc/str (8.6.5.5.5)
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Joan Tower
Concerto for Clarinet (1988) 19 minutes
2(pic).2.2.2/4.2.1+btbn.1/timp.2perc/hp.pf(cel)/str
View the score
Rolf Wallin
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1996) 14 minutes
3.2.2.2/4.3.2.0/timp.2perc/pf(cel)/str
Listen on Spotify | View the score
Mieczysław Weinberg
Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra, Op. 104 (1977) 24 minutes
string orchestra
Listen on Spotify
Alec Wilder
Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (1974) 17 minutes
2.2.1.2/3.0.3.0/perc/str
View the score
For more information on the music and potential guest soloists, please contact Andrew Stein-Zeller.
