CLARINETS FOR CONCERT

It is difficult to imagine symphonic music without the noble sound of the clarinet, its warm timbre and soft tone, and when necessary - clearly marking its character in a large orchestral ensemble. However, before this relatively young instrument (because it was invented in its modern form at the beginning of the 18th century) became a full-fledged member of the symphony orchestra, quite a long time passed. As a solo instrument, he gained full independence thanks to the nobility that Mozart granted him with one of the first clarinet concertos, which to this day remains a pillar of the repertoire of all clarinetists. Other composers followed the example of the great classic, successfully exploring the enormous potential of the clarinet. Examples include two concertina (smaller concertos) by Carl Maria von Weber and Ferruccio Busoni. An interesting example is the composition of Felix Mendelssohn combining the clarinet with the basset horn. Also known as bassetthorn, this instrument is nothing more than an alto clarinet, with a curved vocal cord at the bottom and a curved pipe at the top of the instrument. So it can be said that Mendelssohn's work is a double clarinet concerto. The magnificent culmination of the clarinet journeys will be Joseph Haydn's 94th Symphony — the second in the series of so-called London symphonies, created in 1791. It is worth taking a close look at the composition of the instruments — there is not a single clarinet in the group of woodwinds! But for this, the composer provided us with another surprise.

photo: Tomasz Kowaluk