Louis Spohr - Clarinet Concerto
No. 1 in C Minor (Op. 26)

Louis Spohr, violinist, composer and conductor, was born on April 5, 1784, in Brunswick, Germany and died on October 22, 1859 in Kassel, Germany. He was considered to be one of the leading composers of the late Classical (1750-1825) and early Romantic (1825-1900) Periods in music and was very successful and well known for his Operas (13), Symphonies (10), Violin Concertos (15) and Chamber Music, especially his String Quartets (almost 80).

Spohr is often credited as being one of the first conductors to use a modern baton - rather than just employ his violin bow (with violin at the ready - in case of emergency).

Today, however, only his 8th Violin Concerto remains popular and Spohr is mainly remembered for his compositions for Clarinet and Orchestra: 4 Concertos - No. 1 in C Minor (1808, Op. 26), No. 2 in Eb Major (1810, Op. 57), No. 3 in F Minor (1821) and No. 4 in E Minor (1828); Variations on a Theme from Alruna (1809); Potpourri in F Major (1811, Op. 80); and Fantasia and Variations on a Theme of Danzi (for Clarinet and String quartet, 1814, Op. 81).

All were written for German clarinetist (Johann) Simon Hermstedt (1778-1846), as was Carl Maria von Weber’s (1786-1826) Grand Duo Concertant (for clarinet & piano, 1816, Op. 48). The Duke of Sondershausen hired Hermstedt to form a wind band in 1801 and he remained in the Duke’s service until his retirement in 1839. The Duke first commissioned Spohr to compose for Hermstedt in 1808; Spohr and Hermstedt had met earlier that year at a concert and had performed the Mozart Clarinet Quintet, K. 581 the following day, with Hermstedt on Clarinet and Spohr on first violin.

Spohr’s Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in C Minor turned out to be so difficult that in order to make its performance possible, Hermstedt had to actually add new keys to his 5 key clarinet, using a 13 key instrument, similar to Iwan Muller’s (1784-1854) “simple” system of 1809.

The Concerto was first performed on June 16, 1809 with Spohr conducting.

Although scored for 2 each of Flutes, Oboes, Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets, in addition to Timpani and Strings (1st & 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello & Bass), the 2nd movement uses only 1st & 2nd Violin and Cello.

Solo Clarinet part - 9”X12” - 16 pages - $14.95
with CD - 4 smp files:
- 1st Movement (4/4, Adagio, quarter = 63; Allegro, quarter = 116);
- 2nd Movement (3/4, Adagio, eighth = 80);
- 3rd Movement (2/4, Rondo - Vivace, quarter = 112);
- Complete (All three movements)
Please note that this is NOT an AUDIO CD
and an active SmartMusic subscription is needed to play smp files

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