clarinet concerto

• Context


  • Originally written for basset clarinet - quieter
  • Chaleamou register - lowest
  • Clarino - middle
  • Altissimo - highest
• Instrumentation


  • 2 flutes
  • 2 horns - in A
  • 1 clarinet - in A - one to highlight clarinet
  • Violin one and two
  • Cello and double bass
  • 2 bassoons
  • Viola
• Melody


  • 2 balanced phrases mainly conjunct
  • Solo passages make use of conjunct and triadic movement
  • Soloist has wide melodic range to demonstrate virtuosity
  • First section features arpeggaic movement
  • Acciaccituras and chromatisism
  • Wide melodic range for clarinet
  • Mainly triadic
  • Scalic figures
  • All registers of clarinet used
  • Arpeggaic with some angular
  • Development of main theme into cadance
• Harmony


  • Main theme uses perfect - interrupted - perfect cadance pattern
  • Diatonic and functional
  • Tonic pedal by strings 33-35
  • Mainly diatonic some chromatisism
  • Lower strings play tonic and dom pedal notes
  • Ends on dom chord for return into a maj
  • Diatonic with some chromatisim
  • Circle of 5ths progression
  • A7 chord to turn to D maj
  • Perfect - interrupted - imperfect - perfect
  • Tonic pedal
• Tonality


  • A major with passing modulation to e major
  • A major - e major - e minor - e major - a major
  • A major with passing modulation to e major
  • A major
• Structure


  • Rondo form 1-57
  • Rondo 57-113
  • Rondo 138 - 178
  • Rondo 301 - 353
• Timbre - Sonority


  • Horns and clarinet in A so sound a minor 3rd lower than written
  • Woodwind - clarinet solo so hard melodies all registers
  • Flutes play or double melody
  • Bassoons fill harmony or double melody
  • Brass - horns used for harmony or pedal note - limitations of instrument
  • Strings - 1st violins play melody or accompaniment or thirds with clarinet or 2nd violin
  • 2nds provide harmonic support and occasionally take melody
  • Violas are harmonic support and accompaniment
  • Cello and double bass for pedal notes and support
• Texture


  • Melody and accompaniment
  • Some alterations between reduced texture and tutti
  • M + a with occasional parallel thirds
  • M+ a
  • Much lighter at start with some use of polyphony
  • M+ a with antiphony
• Tempo, Metre and Rhythm

  • Allegro tempo with no changes and 6/8 metre
  • Anacrusis, syncopation and semiquavers
  • Persistent semiquavers in clarinet
  • Crotchet quaver figure for contrast
  • Anacrusis and semiquavers
• Dynamics and Articulation


  • Piano when clarinet playing rondo at start
  • Crescendos and diminuendos throughout when strings play theme
  • Rest alternates
  • Staccato and legato playing
  • More expressive
  • Sfp moments for tension
  • Staccato and legato - quavers and semiquavers
  • Begins and remains piano
  • One explosion of forte
  • Legato clarinet and staccato accompaniment strings
  • Begins piano
  • Rest alternates
  • Ends forte
  • Staccato and legato