Weber (1786-1826) - Clarinet Concerto No. 1
Armed
with experiences of his father's travelling theatre company, a melodic
gift fuelled by German national folk styles, and a pioneering flair for
dramatic orchestration, Weber ousted the Italian influence and thereby
earned the famous legend, “Father of German Opera”. When set against the
magnitude of this operatic achievement, his concert works can seem a bit,
well, pale. However, viewed in their own light, while maybe not
exactly Earth-shattering they nevertheless appear as finely crafted, intelligent
music, expanding on the exemplary models of his “cousin-in- law”, a certain
Herr W. A. Mozart.
Impressed
by the Clarinet Concertino, King Maximilian I of Bavaria commissioned
the two Clarinet Concertos, which Weber wrote specifically for performance
by his friend, Heinrich Barmann. The First Concerto follows (wait
for it!) the standard fast-slow-fast pattern of three movements.
The finale (Allegretto) is a nice, neat rondo with a perky main
tune, but there practically all similarity to classical form ends. The
first two movements breathe operatic air: an orchestra ever-alive to dramatic
opportunities supports a virtuoso “vocalist” with an amazing range. The
first movement (Allegro) is not a sonata-form. Orchestra
and soloist play a subject apiece, cadenza and “coda” appear midway through
the movement, and there's no literal recapitulation, all apparently to
clear the decks for a stunning ending. The second movement (Adagio),
spinning a wonderful web of melodic variation, sounds for all the world
like an operatic aria, except I somehow doubt it could ever actually be
sung!
.
© Paul Serotsky
29, Carr Street,
Kamo,
Whangarei 0101,
Northland,
New Zealand
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