With the many great recordings available today, there is every opportunity to explore and enjoy the wonderful world of the clarinet repertoire.

Why should clarinetists listen to clarinet music?

It is important for clarinetists to be familiar with the clarinet’s sound - knowing the clarinet’s tonal capabilities, helps develop a tonal concept of the clarinet. Having a clear realisation of what the clarinet sounds like is fundamental to playing the instrument. By having an appreciation of the clarinet’s tonal possibilities (i.e. different clarinetist’s have different sounds and each clarinetist has many variations of tone colour) will help you develop your own unique sound.

You do yourself a great favour by listening to a work before you begin to play it. Listening to a piece first, makes it far easier to play, as you know how it goes.

Listening is also very important to develop musicality (musicality is the ability to play expressively, with feeling and emotion). By listening to a recording you will become aware of how the artist is playing the music, not just what they are playing. Listen out for dynamics (louds and softs), tempo (speed), tempo variations (speed changes), gradation of tone (getting louder and softer), variation of tone colour, quality of tone, quality of articulation (tonguing and slurring) etc. Compare different artist’s recordings of the same piece and you will become aware of the importance of interpretation and the variation of interpretation. It will also help you to distinguish the differences in playing style.

Developing your musicality

The most musical instrument of all is the human voice. Because the voice sings words, which tell a tale, there is an intimate relationship between words and music. This relationship allows the singer to express more easily the emotional content of the music. By listening to singers, instrumentalists will develop a greater appreciation of what “playing musically” means and broaden the emotional range in their music.

The following is an essential guide of what to listen to –

Opera

Mozart – Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Magic Flute
Rossini – Barber of Seville
Verdi – Ottello, Trovatore, Traviata, Aida
Weber – Oberon
Puccini – La bohème
Bizet – Carmen

Lieder by Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mahler

Great opera stars – Maria Callas, Pavarotti, Domingo, Cararos

String Players

Also listen to violinists for their expressive range

Great violinists – Menuhin, Oistrach, Stern, Heifitz, Perlman, Zukermann

Bach Violin Solo Sonatas & Partitas
Bach Violin Concerti
Mozart Violin Concerti
Beethoven Violin Concerto
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms Double Concerto for Violin & Cello
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Berg Violin Concerto
Bartok Violin Concerti
Shostokovich Violin Concerti

Great Cellists – Feuermann, Piatigorsky, Fournier, Rostropovich and Casals and Jacqueline du Pré

Bach Cello Suites
Haydn Cello Concerti
Boccherini Cello Concerto
Dvorák Cello Concerto
Elgar Cello Concerto
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto
Schumann Cello Concerto
Shostokovick Cello Concerti

Clarinetists

The following is a list of the best clarinetists available on recording:

Gervase De Peyer, Jack Brymer, Sabine Meyer, Alfred Prinz, Richard Stolzman, Dieter Klocker, Karl Leister, Alan Hacker, Emma Johnson, Thea King, Janet Hilton, Michael Collins, Kalman Berkes, Anthony Pay, Paul Meyer

On original instruments – Anthony Pay, Hans Deinzer, Alan Hacker

Major masterpieces for clarinet

Mozart Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra
Mozart Clarinet Quintet for Clarinet & String Quartet
Mozart Kegelstatt Trio Clarinet, Violin & Piano
Mozart Divertimenti for Basset-Horn Trio
Mozart Serenade in B Flat “Grand Partita” for Winds
Brahms Clarinet Quintet for Clarinet & String Quartet
Brahms Clarinet Sonata No.1 for Clarinet & Piano
Brahms Clarinet Sonata No.2 for Clarinet & Piano
Brahms Trio for Clarinet, Cello & Piano
Weber Clarinet Concerto No.1 for Clarinet & Orchestra
Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 2 for Clarinet & Orchestra
Weber Concertino for Clarinet & Orchestra
Weber Clarinet Quintet for Clarinet & String Quartet
Weber Grand Duo Concertant for Clarinet & Piano
Weber Variations for Clarinet & Piano
Weber Introduction, Theme & Variations for Clarinet & String Quartet
Rossini Theme and Variations for Clarinet & Orchestra
Copland Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra
Schumann Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet & Piano
Schumann 3 Romances for Clarinet & Piano
Debussy Premiere Rhapsodie for Clarinet & Piano or Clarinet & Orchestra
Finzi 5 Bagatelles for Clarinet & Piano
Finzi Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra
Lutoslawski Dance Preludes for Clarinet & Piano or Clarinet & Orchestra
Poulenc Sonata for Clarinet & Piano
Arnold Sonatina for Clarinet & Piano
Saint- Saens Sonata for Clarinet & Piano
Milhaud Duo Concertant for Clarinet & Piano
Hindemith Sonata for Clarinet & Piano
Berg Four Pieces Op.5 for Clarinet & Piano
Stravinsky 3 Pieces for Clarinet Solo
Messian “Abyss of the Birds” from Quartet for the End of Time for Clarinet
Stravinsky Ebony Concerto for Clarinet and Band
Nielson Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra
Mendelssohn Concert Piece for Clarinet & Basset Horn Op 113
Mendelssohn Concert Piece for Clarinet & Basset Horn Op 114
Beethoven Trio for Clarinet, Cello & Piano
Schumann Fairy Tales for Clarinet, Viola & Piano
Schubert “Shepard on the Rock” for Soprano, Clarinet & Piano
Bartok Contrasts for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
Khachaturian Trio for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
Milhaud Suite for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
Stravinsky L’Histoire du Soldat for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
Bruch 8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola & Piano
Bruch Concerto for Clarinet, Viola & Orchestra
Ravel Habanera for Clarinet & Piano
Prokoviev Overture on Hebrew Themes for Clarinet, Piano & String Quartet
Stamitz Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra (a number of them)
Krommer Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra Op. 36
Krommer Clarinet Concerto for 2 Clarinet & Orchestra Op. 35
Krommer Clarinet Concerto for 2 Clarinet & Orchestra Op. 91
Crusell Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra no. 1, 2 & 3
Crusell Introduction & Variations on a Swedish Air Op 12 for Clarinet & Orchestra
Sporh Clarinet Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra no. 1, 2, 3 & 4
Baermann Adagio for Clarinet & Strings
Dvorak Serenade for Wind Instruments Op. 44

Compilation CD’s

Clarinet Collection by Alan Hacker playing historical Chalumeaus, Baroque, Classical and Romantic Clarinets – Amon Ra CD-Sar 10