A clarinet concerto is a concerto for clarinet; that is, a musical composition for solo clarinet together with a large ensemble (such as an orchestra or concert band). Albert Rice has identified a work by Giuseppe Antonio Paganelli as possibly the earliest known concerto for solo clarinet; its score appears to be titled "Concerto per Clareto" and may date from 1733. It may, however, be intended for soprano chalumeau. There are earlier concerti grossi with concertino clarinet parts including two by Johann Valentin Rathgeber, published in 1728.
Famed publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel published the first clarinet concerto in 1772. The instrument's popularity soared and a flurry of early clarinet concertos ensued. Many of these early concertos have largely been forgotten, though German clarinettist Dieter Klocker specializes in these "lost" works. Famous clarinet concertos of the classical and early romantic era include those of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Maria von Weber and Louis Spohr.
Relatively few clarinet concertos, or wind instrument concertos generally, were produced during the middle and late Romantic music era, but the form became more popular in the twentieth century, with famous clarinet concertos from Carl Nielsen and Aaron Copland, as well as more recent ones by composers such as John Adams, Kalevi Aho, Elliott Carter, John Corigliano, Magnus Lindberg, Donald Martino, Christopher Rouse, and John Williams.
The modern clarinet did not exist before c1700. There are, however, a number of concertos written for its antecedent, the chalumeau.
The discovery of six clarinet concertos by Johann Melchior Molter (1696–1765)--the first of which may date from 1743 —and three concerti grossi for clarinet and oboe written by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) as far back as 1711 ([1]) have led music historians to revise the common view that the first concerto for the instrument was written by Johann Stamitz around 1755.
Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen (1768–1830?)Concerto in B♭ major for clarinet and orchestra, Op. 3 (1809?)Sinfonie Concertante in A major, op. 10 for Two Clarinets and Orchestra (1810?)Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major, Opus 16 (1809?)Clarinet Concerto in E-flat Major, Opus 24 (1821?)Concerto in F major for Basset-horn and OrchestraJoseph Beer (1744–1812)Clarinet Concerto No.1two other clarinet concertos and two double concertosMatthäus (Frédéric) Blasius (1758–1829)Concerto nr. 1 in C major for Clarinet and OrchestraCasimir Anton Cartellieri (1772–1807)Concerto no. 1 in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto no. 3 in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto for 2 Clarinets & Orchestra in B-flat MajorJohan Sebastian Demar (1763–1832)Concerto in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraFrançois Devienne (1759–1803)Concertino in B-flat major for two Clarinets and Orchestra op.25Franz Anton Dimler (1753–1827)Concerto in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraJoseph Leopold Eybler (1765–1846)Concerto in B-flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra (1798)Josef Fiala (1748–1816)Concertante in B-flat major for Clarinet and Cor AnglaisKarl Andreas Goepfert (1768–1818)Concerto in E-flat Major, op. 14Concerto in B-flat Major, op. 20Concerto in E-flat Major, op. 35Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754–1812)Clarinet Concerto in B-flat major for Clarinet and Orchestra (1782–1784?)Concerto in E-flat major for two Clarinets and Orchestra (1782–1784?)James Hook (1746–1827)Clarinet Concerto in E-flat major (1812)Leopold Kozeluch (1747–1818)Two clarinet concertos both in E-flat majorFranz Krommer (1759–1831)Concerto in E♭ Op.36 for clarinet and orchestra (1803)Concerto for two clarinets and orchestra in E♭, Op.35, (1802)Concerto for two clarinets and orchestra in E♭, Op.91 (1815)Konzertstück for two clarinets and orchestraKarol Kurpinski (1785–1857)Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (performed 1820) (Grove: Jim Samson)Ludwig August Lebrun (1752–1790)Concerto in one movement in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraJean-Xavier Lefèvre (1763–1829)Clarinet Concertos No. 4 and No.6 (1796)Peter Joseph von Lindpaintner (1791–1856)Concertino in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraJohn Mahon (c. 1748–1834)Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in F majorWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)Clarinet Concerto (1791)Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, and Orchestra (possibly spurious)Iwan Müller (1786–1854)Concertante op. 23 in E-flat major for two Clarinets and Military BandCarlo Paessler (1774–1865)Concerto con variazioni in E-flat major for Clarinet and StringsConcerto in C minor for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraIgnaz Pleyel (1757–1831)Concerto in C major for Clarinet in CFrantišek Xaver Pokorný (1729–1794)Concerto in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraAntonín Reicha (1770–1836)Concerto in G minor for Clarinet and OrchestraIntroduction and Variations on a Theme by Dittersdorf in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraCarl Gottlieb Reissiger (1798–1859)Concertino in E-flat major op. 63 for Clarinet and OrchestraAlessandro Rolla (1757–1841)Concerto for Bassethorn and OrchestraAntonio Rosetti (1750–1792)Concerto nr. 1 in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto nr. 2 in E-flat major for Clarinet and Orchestratwo additional clarinet concertosTheodor von Schacht (1748–1823)Clarinet Concerto in B-flat major for clarinet and orchestraGeorg Abraham SchneiderConcerto no. 1 for basset horn and orchestra, op. 90. (1820?)Concerto no. 2 for basset horn and orchestra, op. 105.Pedro Étienne Solère (1753–1817)Concerto in E-flat major for two Clarinets and OrchestraConcerto in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto Espagnol in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraCarl Stamitz (1745–1801)11 Clarinet ConcertosFranz Xaver Süßmayr (1766–1803)Concerto movement in D major for Basset Clarinet and OrchestraFranz Wilhelm Tausch (1762–1817)Concertante op. 26 nr. 2 in B-flat major for two Clarinets and OrchestraConcertante op. 27 nr. 1 in B-flat major for two Clarinets and OrchestraConcerto in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraJohann Vogel (1756–1788)Concerto in B-flat MajorPeter von Winter (1754–1825)Concerto in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraMichèl Yost (1754–1786)Concerto no.11 in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto no.8 in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto no.9 in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto no.7 in B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraOther concertos from the classical era include those by Deshayes, Fuchs, Jan Kalous, Joseph Lacher, Lang, Philipp Meissner, Pfeilsticker, J.B. Wanhal, Wenzel Pichel, Johan Stich, and J.C. Stumpf.
Heinrich Joseph Bärmann (1784–1847)Concertstück in G minor for Clarinet and OrchestraConcertino in C minor for Clarinet and OrchestraConcertino in E-flat major op. 27 for Clarinet and Orchestra (1828?)Carl Bärmann (1810–1885)Konzertstück for two Clarinets and OrchestraConcerto Militaire for Clarinet and OrchestraMax BruchConcerto for Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra in E minor, op. 88 (1910)Gaetano DonizettiConcertino for Clarinet and Orchestra in B-flat majorDonato Lovreglio's (1847–1907)Fantasia Da Concerto Su Motivi De La Traviata (Fantasia for Clarinet and Orchestra on the Opera, La Traviata) for Clarinet and Orchestra (Original music/opera by Giuseppe Verdi)Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)Concert Piece No. 1 for Clarinet, Basset Horn, and Orchestra in F minor, Op. 113 (1833)Concert Piece No. 2 for Clarinet, Basset Horn, and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 114 (1833)Saverio Mercadante (1795–1870)Clarinet Concerto in B-flat majorClarinet Concerto in E-flat majorJulius Rietz (1812–1877)Concerto in G minor op.29 for Clarinet and Orchestra (c.1840s)Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908)Concertstück for Clarinet and Military Band (1878)Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868)Introduction, Theme and Variations in E-flat major/B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraVariations for Clarinet and Small Orchestra in C major (1809)Concerto no. 1 in C minor/A-flat major/E-flat major for two Clarinets and OrchestraIntroduction, Theme and Variations in B minor/B-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraFantasie in E-flat major for Clarinet and OrchestraConcerto no. 2 in E-flat major/A-flat major/E-flat major for two Clarinets and OrchestraLouis Schindelmeisser (1811–1864)Sinfonia Concertante for four Clarinets and Orchestra, op. 2 (1833)Louis Spohr (1784–1859)Clarinet Concerto No. 1 C Minor, op. 26 (1808)Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-flat Major, op. 57 (1810)Clarinet Concerto No. 3 in F Minor, WoO 19 (1821)Clarinet Concerto No. 4 in E Minor, WoO 20 (1828)Fantasia and Variations on a Theme of Danzi, Op. 81Potpourri for Clarinet and Orchestra in F Major, Op. 80 (1811) Variations on a Theme from "Alruna" for Clarinet and Orchestra (1809)Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)Clarinet Concerto in A minor op. 80 (1902)Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev (1856–1915)Canzona for Clarinet and Strings in F minorCarl Maria von Weber (1786–1826)Concertino for clarinet and orchestraClarinet Concerto No. 1Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (all 1811)John Adams Gnarly Buttons (1996)Kalevi Aho Clarinet Concerto (2005)Joan Albert Amargós Clarinet ConcertoMalcolm ArnoldClarinet Concerto No. 1 (1948)Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (1974)Jacob Avshalomov Evocations, Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber OrchestraNicolas Bacri Concerto da Camera op.61 (1999) for Clarinet and String OrchestraRadamés Gnattali Choro for Clarinet in B-flat and OrchestraJean Balissat Cantabile for Clarinet and Strings (1995)Rusty Banks Intangiballistics for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble (2011)Michael Berkeley Clarinet Concerto (1991)Leonard Bernstein Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs (1946)Jean Binet Petit Concert for Clarinet and Strings (1950)Howard Blake Clarinet ConcertoJacques BondonConcerto d'Octobre for Clarinet and String OrchestraConcerto des Offrandes for Clarinet and OrchestraEugène Bozza Concerto for Clarinet and Small OrchestraBenjamin Britten Movement for Clarinet and Orchestra (1942/3)James Francis Brown: Clarinet Concerto - Lost Lanes, Shadow Groves (2008)Ferruccio Busoni Concertino for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra, op. 48 (1918)Ann Callaway Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (1985–1987) (Laureate Press, distr. MMB Press)John Carbon Clarinet Concerto (1993)Elliott Carter Clarinet Concerto (1996)Aexis Chalier Concertino for Clarinet and Strings (2001/02)Arnold Cooke Concerto for Clarinet and OrchestraAaron Copland Clarinet Concerto (1948)John Corigliano Clarinet Concerto (1977)Peter Maxwell DaviesStrathclyde Concerto No. 4 (1990)"The Seas of Kirk Swarf" for bass clarinet and strings (2007).Claude Debussy Premiere RapsodieNorman Dello Joio Concertante for Clarinet and OrchestraEdison Denisov Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1989)Einar Englund Clarinet ConcertoDietrich Erdmann Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.Richard Festinger Equinox for Clarinet and Small Orchestra (2009)Gerald Finzi Clarinet Concerto (1949) Jean Françaix Clarinet Concerto (1968)Armin Fries Concerto for Clarinet and Strings (1956)Gunnar de Frumerie Concerto op. 51 (1957–1958) for Clarinet, Strings, Harp and PercussionVadym Homolyaka Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra c-moll "Muzychna Ukraina" (1978)Berthold Goldschmidt Clarinet ConcertoOsvaldo Golijov "Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind" for solo clarinetist (soprano clarinets, basset horn, and bass clarinet) and string quartet, later arranged for solo clarinetist and string orchestra.Todd Goodman Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.Ida GotkovskyConcerto for clarinet and orchestra (1968) or clarinet and wind orchestra (1997)Concerto lyrique for clarinet and orchestra (1982) or clarinet and wind orchestra (1994)Kimmo Hakola Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (2001)Stephen Hartke Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra "Landscapes with Blues" (2001)Patrick Hawes Clarinet Concerto for Emma Johnson (2015)Paul Hindemith Clarinet Concerto (1947)Anthony Iannaccone Concertante for Clarinet and Orchestra (1995)Gordon Jacob mini-concerto for Clarinet and String OrchestraShigeru Kan-no Bassetklarinette Koncerto (2006)Ando Kovach Concerto for Clarinet and Strings (1995)Helmut Lachenmann Accanto (1976)Lowell Liebermann Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra Op.110 (2009)Magnus Lindberg Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (2002)Scott McAllister"X" (1996)"Black Dog" (2003)"Free Birds" (2009)Ian McDougall Concerto for Clarinet & String OrchestraWilliam Thomas McKinley Concerto for Clarinet no. 3 The Alchemical (1994)James MacMillan Ninian for Clarinet and Orchestra (1996)Elizabeth MaconchyConcertino no. 1 for Clarinet and OrchestraConcertino no. 2 for Clarinet and OrchestraDonald Martino Triple Concerto for clarinet, bass clarinet, and contrabass clarinet.Rolf Martinsson "Concert Fantastique" Clarinet Concerto No. 1, Op. 86 (2010).Krzysztof Meyer Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (2002)Thea MusgraveClarinet Concerto (1979)Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.Oscar Navarro (composer)Concert for Clarinet and Orchestra (2006)Il Concerto for Clarinet and Symphonic Orchestra (2012)Lior Navok Clarinet Concerto (1996),[2]Carl Nielsen Clarinet Concerto (1928)Jim Parker Concerto for Clarinet and StringsKrzysztof Penderecki Clarinet ConcertoLorenzo Perosi Concerto per clarinetto e orchestraLyubomir Pipkov Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber OrchestraWalter Piston Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1967)Marcel Poot Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1977)Einojuhani Rautavaara Clarinet Concerto (2001)Alan Rawsthorne Concerto for Clarinet and String OrchestraAndrew Rindfleisch "The Light Fantastic" for bass clarinet and wind ensemble (2003).Jean Rivier Concerto for Clarinet and String OrchestraPaul Rosenbloom Concertante Variations for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra.Christopher Rouse Clarinet Concerto (2000)Jonathan Russell Double bass clarinet concerto.Josef Schelb Concerto for bass clarinet and orchestra.Armin Schibler Concertino for Clarinet and Strings op.49 (1956)Tobias Schwencke Concerto for Clarinet solo and 15 StringsMátyás Seiber Concertino for Clarinet and String OrchestraElie Siegmeister Clarinet ConcertoFrederick Speck Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1993)Frank Graham Stewart Concerto for B-flat Clarinet and Orchestra (1993)Yevgen Stankovych Concerto for Clarinet soloIgor Stravinsky Ebony Concerto for clarinet and jazz band (1945)Aurel Stroe Concerto for Clarinet and OrchestraToru Takemitsu Fantasma/Cantos for clarinet and orchestraJosef Tal Concerto for clarinet and orchestraAlexandre TansmanConcertino for Oboe, Clarinet and Strings (1952)Clarinet Concerto (1957)İstemihan Taviloğlu Clarinet Concerto Clarinet and OrchestraBoris Tchaikovsky Concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra (1957)Frank Ticheli Clarinet Concerto (2010)Franz Tischhauser The Beggar's Concerto for Clarinet and StringsHenri Tomasi Concerto for Clarinet and String OrchestraJoan Tower Clarinet Concerto (1988)August Verbesselt Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (1982)Sándor Veress' Clarinet ConcertoRolf Wallin Clarinet Concerto (1998)Douglas Weiland Clarinet Concerto, op. 30 (2001)Norma Wendelburg Concerto for Clarinet and OrchestraJohn Williams Clarinet Concerto for Michele Zukovsky (1991) John Williams Concerto RecordingIsang Yun Clarinet Concerto (1981)Marcin Zielinski Concertino for Clarinet Solo and StringsMarilyn J. Ziffrin Clarinet ConcertoSérgio Azevedo Clarinet Concerto (2013)Claudio Puntin Aroma, for solo Clarinet, Bassclarinet, Electronics and Orchestra (2016)