Classical Music | Clarinet Music

Recorded on 12/14/2005, uploaded on 02/05/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Grand Duo concertant for piano and clarinet, Op. 48 (J 204)          Carl Maria von Weber        

The Grand Duo concertant, though scored for chamber resources, has a scope far more suited for the concert hall.  Written in 1815, it is Weber's only clarinet piece not dedicated to clarinet virtuoso Heinrich Baermann.  Almost operatic in its intensity, the Grand Duo's drama and virtuosity are balanced by its Classical formal principles.  Piano and clarinet are absolute equals, their musical partnership apparent from the very opening of the first movement.  The Grand Duo's demanding woodwind writing, proof of Weber's long collaboration with Baermann, and its ambitious musical scope ensure its place in the repertoire today.    Alexander Fiterstein

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.