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Stravinsky’s Secret 4th Piece for Solo Clarinet
Serious clarinetists are probably all-too familiar with Igor Stravinsky’s devilishly difficult Three Pieces for solo clarinet, written in 1918 and published in 1919. This piece was written as a thank-you present to philanthropist and amateur clarinetist Werner Reinhart (1884-1951) for his support of Stravinsky’s music. This is one of the first true unaccompanied solos in the clarinet repertoire, and it is commonplace for this work to be asked on auditions because it demonstrates the player’s technical and lyrical abilities. Another unique element of this piece is that it is written for both B-flat and A clarinet in the same piece (the first two movements are “preferably” on A clarinet, while…
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Famous Clarinet Cadenzas
The clarinet has a wide variety of repertoire written throughout its history, and the collection only continues to grow as more people write for the best instrument around. Among these works, there are many pieces with famous clarinet cadenzas, or extended solo passages to demonstrate the virtuosic ability of the player. A brief history of the cadenza At the turn of the 19th century, cadenzas were improvised by the performer and typically placed at the end of the movement to demonstrate the performer’s technical dexterity. Over time, composers began creating and writing cadenzas in their works. While some were still placed at the end of movements, this was no longer…
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Clarinet Music by Women Composers
Over the years, I’ve written several articles about women clarinetists and women composers who wrote for the clarinet. (Articles linked below) In the world of classical music, the contributions of women composers have historically been overlooked. For the past few years, I’ve compiled a list of works for clarinet written by women, and I’m excited to finally share this list with you. In this list, I’ve included music for solo clarinet up to five performers. Currently, this list includes 335 pieces! I hope this resource will help to promote the diverse voices and artistic achievements of women in the world of music and the clarinet community. Please note that this…
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The Best Clarinet Romances to Perform this Valentine’s Day
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with one of these beautiful Romances written for the clarinet? These lyrical pieces were written to evoke tenderness and heartfelt emotion, so whether you perform them on February 14 or year-round, both you and your audience will surely love them. ❤️ Here are some of my favorite Romances for clarinet: Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Clarinet Repertoire Requiring Costumes
Did you know that some pieces of clarinet repertoire instruct the performer to wear specific clothing or costumes? These pieces can include costume, staging, lighting, and other theatrical elements, taking your typical clarinet performance and turning it into a real spectacle! Here are a few pieces of clarinet repertoire requiring costumes: Karlheinz Stockhausen – Harlekin for solo clarinetist/dancer – In performances of this work, clarinetists dance on stage, embodying the character of the Harlequin, a comedic figure. (Fun fact: several of Stockhausen’s compositions feature theatrical and contemporary techniques for clarinet. Since there are several clarinet features in his operas and larger ensemble works, some have been adapted for solo or…
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Repertoire Recommendations: Autumn-Inspired ?
Happy autumn to all my northern hemisphere friends! You all know this is my favorite season, and if you’re looking for new repertoire recommendations (#reprecs) I’ve got you covered! Here are my favorite autumn-themed clarinet pieces: Thea Musgrave – Autumn Sonata – Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Orchestra Itaru Sakai – Journey of Leaf for clarinet octet Itamar Danziger – Autumn for clarinet and piano (from The Seasons’ Suite) Ayser Vancin – Autumn Song for clarinet and piano Bernice Petkere – Lullaby Of The Leaves for solo clarinet Percy Hall – Falling Leaves for clarinet trio Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Autumn Song, arranged by Tōru Takemitsu Joseph Pappas Pappas – Autumn…
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Repertoire Research Checklist for Students
As much fun as it is to perform well-loved (and well-practiced) pieces, there’s something extra exciting about beginning to work on a new piece of repertoire. New piece, new possibilities, new performances… But as you begin learning a new piece, here are a few questions I encourage my students to research to better understand a new piece of music: Who is the composer? When did the composer live? Was this piece written for a specific clarinetist? Who performed the premiere? Are there recordings available of this piece? What era/genre/style of music is the composer known for? Did the composer write anything else for clarinet? How would you describe the style…
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13 Clarinet Works Perfect for Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day! To celebrate, I’m sharing 14 beautiful pieces of music which feature the clarinet. Listen to these to fall even more in love with the clarinet! Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2, movement 3. Words can’t express the beauty of this solo, so go have a listen and be prepared to swoon. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 1. Another heart-wrenchingly beautiful display of the clarinet’s ability to tug at our heartstrings! Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, March to the Scaffold. This is a literal love theme, sung by the clarinet right before the guillotine strikes. Tchaikovsky Francesca da Rimini. Tchaikovsky tugs at heartstrings like no other, and he certainly chose the best…
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Music for clarinet and toy piano
Longtime readers of Jenny Clarinet know that I have a fascination with lesser-known instruments (this blog post I wrote a few years ago even led to me learning how to play the theremin!). Even though I had heard of the toy piano, it wasn’t until I attended a Yann Tiersen concert in Paris a few years ago and heard Tiersen perform on the toy piano that I began to wonder if any music had ever been written for clarinet and toy piano. Spoiler alert: yes it has! (but as you might imagine, it’s not as extensive as our repertoire for more common instruments) Here are some pieces I’ve stumbled upon…
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Fun Encore Pieces for Clarinet
The clarinet is #blessed with a large and varied repertoire of works, from solo pieces to chamber ensemble. There are several more “serious” works (looking at you Brahms) that are great for recitals, but it’s also nice to balance these with shorter and more lighthearted pieces to use as an encore. Here are a few fun encore pieces for clarinet: Guisganderie by Faustin Jeanjean Czardas by Vittorio Monti Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Clarinet on the Town by Ralph Herman Clarinet Candy by Leroy Anderson Carnival of Venice by Alamiro Giampieri Immer Kleiner by Adolf Schreiner Viktor’s Tale by John Williams Étude Caprice by Moritz Moszkowski Il Convegno…