Top 11 Clarinet Pieces
Famous Classical Clarinet Pieces
The clarinet was first developed in the late 17th century from a woodwind instrument that was called the chalumeau. Since then, the thoughtful, cool lower registers of the clarinet, combined with the warm, bright upper registers, have been inspiring classical music composers to write stunning music for the versatile instrument. Below is a small sampling of a few of the best pieces of classical music written for the clarinet.
Clarinet concerto in A major, K. 622
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the first composer to write prolifically for the clarinet. Mozart was friends with Anton Stadler, a virtuoso clarinetist reputed to be the best in the world at that time. Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto pits a solo clarinet against a full orchestra. The Clarinet Concerto is said to have been written with the purpose of showcasing Stadler’s legendary technical virtuosity and his well-rounded, remarkable tone, both of which music critics at the time waxed poetic about in their reviews.
The Clarinet Concerto was composed for the basset clarinet, but is almost never played that way today. The basset clarinet differs from the standard B ♭ clarinet due to several extra keys, which lowers the range of the instrument half an octave. Mozart’s original version of his Clarinet Concerto could not have been played on the standard B ♭ clarinet.
The Clarinet Concerto is one of the most distinctive pieces of music of all time, and one that every clarinetist learns to play at some point in their career. The piece’s popularity has held strong for the past 200 years, and has been featured in many movies in the late 20th century, including Green Card, Eye For An Eye, and recent movies The Transporter and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Part of the Clarinet Concerto’s enduring appeal is the memorable melodies in the three movements. The Allegro, the first movement, commences with the main theme being played by the full orchestra, prominently featuring delicate strings. Suddenly, the violins fade into the background, and clear notes from the clarion register of the solo clarinet sail forth. From the piercing altissimo of the fourth octave, the clarinet suddenly plunges down, playing its deepest, coolest notes, and this four-octave contrast continues to be heavily featured through the next two movements.
The second movement is the Adagio, which is the most recognized part of the concerto. Here the clarinet plays a series of not very technically demanding but piercing notes arranged in a heartbreaking melody. Again the concerto highlights the clarinet’s versatility, by plunging to the most profound notes of the chalumeau register with support from the orchestra.
The final Rondo: Allegro ties the entire concerto together, exposing elements of the Allegro and the Adagio. The final movement is an energetic flourish to the greatest piece of music ever written for the clarinet.
Other Top Clarinet Pieces
Premiere Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano
Claude Debussy wrote his Premiere Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano as a final test for fourth-year students at The Paris Conservetoire. As a final exam, the Impressionistic piece is a difficult test of the clarinetist’s ability, and hits all ranges of the instrument, as well as featuring contrasting staccato and fluid styles.
Debussy’s romantic style of composing is ideal for the expressive clarinet. The gliding passages show off the clarinet’s range, but this piece demands talent to be able to keep up with the swirling melody. This piece has plenty of “noodling” opportunities for clarinetists to show off their abilities.
Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 73
Carl Maria von Weber wrote his Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in 1811. Similar in structure to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, Weber’s first concerto opens with an Allegro followed by an Adagio movement and then finishes with a Rondo: Allegretto.
Flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, and strings accompany the clarinet. The Rondo is the most memorable part of the piece, a jaunty mellow bounce through the rich chalumeau register.
Gnarly Buttons
American composer John Adams wrote Gnarly Buttons in 1995. This chamber piece features a solo clarinet and an ensemble containing mandolin, guitar, banjo, trombone, piano, keyboards (which, among other things, plays a sample moo from a cow in the second movement), and strings. The work is comprised of three movements, The Perilous Shore, Hoedown (Mad Cow), and Put Your Loving Arms Around Me.
Although he grew up playing the clarinet (it was his first instrument), Adams never wrote solo pieces for this instrument until Gnarly Buttons, which he wrote at 49 years old. With its eclectic combination of a variety of influences, including jazz and bluegrass, Gnarly Buttons is considered a modern masterpiece for the clarinet.
Three Pieces for Clarinet
Igor Stravinsky wrote his Three Pieces For Clarinet in the autumn of 1918. Like the other pieces featured here, Three Pieces prominently displays the clarinet’s versatility, alternating plaintive, thoughtful passages with fluttery, excited themes.
The first of the Three Pieces concentrates on the low, chalumeau register. The second movement varies swiftly between the clarion and altissimo registers; grace notes accentuate the capriciousness of this part of the piece. The clarinetist shows off his talents in the third movement, which is a series of bright, clarion notes with plenty of time changes to keep things interesting for the audience and difficult for the clarinetist.
