Beautiful Music for Clarinet

[Scarpia]

This thread was inspired by listening to Herbert Howell's sonata for clarinet and Piano, which is available in this collection:

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The first movement, in particular, stunned me, endless flowing melody over rich harmony and counter-melodies from the piano.  So I am asking for people to tell about other wonderful, idiomatic pieces for clarinet and various combinations of instruments.  Yes, we all know about the Brahms Clarinet Sonatas, the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, etc.  Let's especially hear about the really obscure stuff.  I'll nominate one more.  The Maconchy clarinet quintet, a more angular, gritty work.

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(I was going to list the Finzi concerto, but that's not really obscure, is it?)

[Lethevich]

I am hestitant to mention the works, because he's proven to be such a love/hate/really hate composer to GMGers and music fans in general, but Robert Simpson wrote two fine clarinet quintets, which can be acquired cheaply when they inevitably end up in Hyperion's bargain bin.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's quintet is a delightful work. Reger's quintet has been well-advocated by Sabine Meyer in her EMI recording - if you have an affinity for Reger, then this is one of his better pieces. For some reason I can't find it on Amazon... Hindemith wrote a very fine concerto for the instrument, but just like Reger and Simpson, you must perhaps be sympathetic to the composer's rather specific idiom to consider a purchase.

Les Six wrote well for this instrument, and this disc is excellent.

[PaulSC]

You've set the bar for obscurity pretty high! So it may not be worth mentioning the Poulenc Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, but I can't resist. Such a beautiful piece! (Ah, Lethe mentioned Les Six more generally while I was typing.)

Also worth a mention:

Robert Fuchs - Clarinet Quintet, Op. 102
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John Ireland - Fantasy Sonata (cl & pno)
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If I keep going I end up in Carter/Babbitt/Feldman territory -- all beautiful to me, but probably not what the thread is aiming for...

[Scarpia]

John Ireland - Fantasy Sonata (cl & pno)

I have that in a Chandos release
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but the the other items on that release look interesting.
Stumbled on this
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Looks like there's a version of the "phantasy trio" including clarinet.

I am hestitant to mention the works, because he's proven to be such a love/hate/really hate composer to GMGers and music fans in general, but Robert Simpson wrote two fine clarinet quintets, which can be acquired cheaply when they inevitably end up in Hyperion's bargain bin.

I had one of those CDs (emphasize past tense   )

[mc ukrneal]

How about the Mercadante Clarinet Concertos?

[Klaze]

Since you mentioned a Clarinet Quintet by Maconchy (which i do not (yet) know, but samples sound nice); are you familiar with her Clarinet Concertinos?:

They're on this CD, with the two concertos by Arnold, and two other short pieces by Britten and Arnold

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[edit]Booh...image unavailable?[/edit]
[edit#2]Oh, now it works ;][/edit#2]

I quite enjoy the Maconchy works. Somewhat spikey, but always comfortable.

[Scarpia]

Since you mentioned a Clarinet Quintet by Maconchy (which i do not (yet) know, but samples sound nice); are you familiar with her Clarinet Concertinos?:

They're on this CD, with the two concertos by Arnold, and two other short pieces by Britten and Arnold

[asin]B00005QITK[/asin]

[edit]Booh...image unavailable?[/edit]
[edit#2]Oh, now it works ;][/edit#2]

I quite enjoy the Maconchy works. Somewhat spikey, but always comfortable.

I have that CD too (and indeed, most of the CDs in that series from Thea King on Hyperion, such interesting repertoire) and I certainly agree with that suggestion as well.

[Luke]

Seeing as I was going to mention the Ireland Fantasy-Sonata too, seems that might be a more loved piece than I thought. Certainly one of Ireland's best pieces, and as he was such a fastidious craftsman (albeit one with a very idiosyncratic, individual streak of rugged strength that belies the word fastidious) that is saying a lot

[Scarpia]

Seeing as I was going to mention the Ireland Fantasy-Sonata too, seems that might be a more loved piece than I thought. Certainly one of Ireland's best pieces, and as he was such a fastidious craftsman (albeit one with a very idiosyncratic, individual streak of rugged strength that belies the word fastidious) that is saying a lot

Actually, I think I got that Ireland Chamber music set released by Chandos on your recommendation, not on this site, but on a precursor to a precursor to this site.  It's craggy, right?

[Luke]

You may well have done, that's a set I've mentioned before. Craggy sounds like a word I''d have used, yes!!  Especially of the cello sonata, which is my favourite chamber work of his, and which contains all the best elements of his music. He's a real favourite of mine, a minor master with major compositional chops and a deeply touching, instantly identifiable and unique soundworld - English, but in a (yes) craggy, rocky, rugged sense, wild, full of a sense of the ancient, poetic....all the things I'm supposed to get out of Bax but never really do.

[Luke]

Let me mention my own clarinet sonata here, even though it hasn't been performed or owt like that. I still like it, and as Karl thought highly of it when I wrote it, maybe he'll give it a whirl one day...

[Brian]

I'll second Robert Fuchs' clarinet quintet.

And it's not obscure at all but Rachmaninov Symphony No 2.

Oh! Here's a good one. "Cape Cod Files" by Paquito D'Rivera, coupled with an absolutely superb clarinet sonata by - who knew - Leonard Bernstein!:

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[karlhenning]

Let me mention my own clarinet sonata here, even though it hasn't been performed or owt like that. I still like it, and as Karl thought highly of it when I wrote it, maybe he'll give it a whirl one day...

I continue to think highly of it, and I do hope to do the whirl thing — and it looks like I am to meet a pianist before long. Not sure what his chops are like. Will report!

[RJR]

Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Sorry, I can't remember the titles.

[snyprrr]

Isang Yun has two Clarinet Quintets, plus much else.

Other than that, those three Hyperion discs pretty well sum it up!

[Scarpia]

Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Sorry, I can't remember the titles.

Isang Yun has two Clarinet Quintets, plus much else.

Other than that, those three Hyperion discs pretty well sum it up!

I actually have a clarinet piece by Yun, I think.

[stingo]

Brahms' Clarinet Sonatas and Trio are among my all time favorites. Froest's recording on BIS is outstanding to my ears. Saint-Saens' sonata is excellent also.

[Florestan]

This is as beautiful as it gets:

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[escher]

Tcherepnin - Sonata in One Movement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqtpc0JkNYA

[Mirror Image]

Copland's Clarinet Concerto is one of the most beautiful pieces I've heard from the clarinet with Finzi's own Clarinet Concerto following right behind it. Adams did a neat little work for clarinet as well called Gnarly Buttons which is quite enjoyable I think. Also who could forget Weber's concerti?