The clarinet in the chamber (Updated)

October 9, 9:04 PMSF Classical Music ExaminerScott Foglesong

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Classical Music Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

We have a vitally interesting concert on the way, as clarinetist Sabine Meyer joins the Tokyo String Quartet on Thursday, October 16 at 8:00 PM for a performance of an important chamber work written for clarinet and string quartet -- the radiant Brahms quintet, in addition to quartets by Beethoven and Bartók. (Note: I had earlier stated that the Weber Clarinet Quintet would also be on the program; that was in error.)

The clarinet (some early examples pictured to the right) is a relative latecomer to the musical world, having appeared for the first time in the written record in 1710. Not until the mid 18th century did the instrument gain any real traction in the repertory, when the composers of the fabled Mannheim Orchestra, such as Johann Stamitz and Christian Cannabich, began using it regularly for both concertos and everyday orchestral duties.

We find some occasional uses of the instrument by heavyweight composers such as Handel and Rameau, but the clarinet's one true Attending Angel was unquestionably Wolfgang Mozart who, fascinated by the instrument's expressive range, scored for it from an early age onwards. Mozart's first clarinet work is an early Divertimento K.113 of 1771, with additional examples appearing sporadically throughout the next decade, such as the extensive clarinet parts in his opera Idomeneo.

However, in the 1780s Mozart added the clarinet-wielding Stadtler brothers (Johann and Anton) to his circle of friends, with the result that he began using the instrument more and more regularly. Late in his short life he created a set of extraordinary chamber works featuring the clarinet — the "Kegelstatt" Trio K. 498, the Clarinet Quintet K. 581, and the exquisite Concerto K. 622.

Nineteenth century composers — such as Carl Maria von Weber — continued to explore the instrument with ever-increasing interest. New developments in construction smoothed away some of the clarinet's admittedly rough surfaces (especially in regard to intonation) which led to the wind section of the standard orchestra including the clarinet from the early 1800s onward. Concerti for the instrument appeared regularly, but its use in chamber music remained somewhat sporadic.

Certainly Beethoven's charming Trio Op. 11 (with its beer-hall variation finale) represents an outstanding contribution, as does Schumann's fine opus 78, a set of Fantasiestücken.

Brahms, however, took an interest in the clarinet similar to Mozart's; he babied it, adopted it, and developed it into an outstanding partner in a chamber group. Two sonatas for clarinet and piano (Op. 120) are coupled with the Quintet Op. 115 (on the Meyer/Tokyo program), and the magical Trio for clarinet, 'cello, and piano Op. 114, to make up one of the outstanding bodies of literature for the instrument.

Superb players performing fine repertory. There's simply no point in staying home unless you're just dying to hear more about the political campaign and can't tear yourself away from CNN.

Thursday evening October 16, at 8:00 PM in the Herbst Theater. Tickets are available through San Francisco Performances online.

 Some recommended recordings:

• Mozart: Kegelstatt Trio, K. 498 (András Schiff, Elmar Schmid, Erich Höbarth)
• Beethoven: Trio, Op. 11 (Beaux Arts Trio)
• Brahms: Quintet, Op. 115 (Richard Stoltzman, Tokyo Quartet)
• Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas (Richard Stoltzman, Richard Goode)

Ateneo Chamber Singers