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The background of my Clarinet Concerto is unusual. In 2003 the wonderful Swedish clarinettist Martin Fröst got the Borletti Buitoni Award, which is granted for young, exceptionally talented concert artists. Martin wanted to use the prize for the commissioning of a new clarinet concerto written just for him. He discussed about the possible composer also with Robert von Bahr, the grounder and owner of the Swedish gramophone company BIS, and Robert gave to him some recordings of my works. Martin interested in my music, and as a consequence the Borletti-Buitoni Trust commissioned the clarinet concerto for Martin from me.I met Martin for the first time in Vienna in November 2004 he played as the soloist of Mozart¹s Clarinet Concerto at the Musikverein Vienna. Later I have heard him as a soloist also in Finland both with the classical and modern concerto repertoire. When we met, Martin told me about the technical tricks of the clarinet, which increase the expressivity and the virtuosity of the instrument, and in the concerto I have made use of them.The concerto has five movements, which are played without pause (attacca) together. The beginning (Tempestoso) is very dramatic and powerful, but there is in the first movement also a beautiful, slow middle section. The second movement consists of a virtuoso solo cadenza, which is dominated by the mysterious tremolos of the clarinet. The cadenza leads to the centre and culmination of the concerto, "Vivace, con brio", which is the most virtuoso movement both for the orchestra and the soloist. In "Vivace, con brio" the time signature is changing almost in every bar, and therefore this rhythmically capricious movement is quite difficult also for the conductor. After a big culmination follows then the slow, melancholy and singing fourth movement, "Adagio, mesto". And the "Epilogue" of the concerto is slow, too; the atmosphere of the last movement is unreal, mysterious. The solo part at the end consists largely of the broken, multiphonic sounds of the clarinet. The Concerto fades out into a silence.I composed the Clarinet Concerto during last autumn (2005).© Kalevi Aho 2006

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Arranger

Movements

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Abbreviation	Instrument
Woodwind
acl	alto clarinet
afl	alto flute
arec	alto recorder
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
barhn	baritone horn
bcl	bass clarinet
bfl	bass flute
bob	bass oboe
bsax	bass saxophone
bsn	bassoon
cbsn	contrabassoon
cl	clarinet
ehn	English horn
fl	flute
hn	French horn
ob	oboe
pic	piccolo
rec	recorder
sax	saxophone
srec	soprano recorder
ssax	soprano saxophone
trec	tenor recorder
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
ahn	alto horn
atrb	altotrombone
barhn	baritone horn
btrb	bass trombone
cornet	cornet
euph	euphonium
fhn	flugelhorn
hn	French horn
tba	tuuba
thn	tenor horn
trb	trombone
trp	trumpet
Percussion
dr	drums
glock	glockenspiel
mar	marimba
perc	percussion
timp	timpani
vibr	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Strings
db	double bass
gamba	viola da gamba
str	strings
vla	viola
vlc	cello
vln	violin
Other
acc	accordion
cel	celesta
cemb	harpsichord
chords	chords
elbas	electric bass
elg	electric guitar
elorg	electric organ
elpno	electric piano
guit	guitar
harm	harmonium
hca	harmonica
hp	harp
instr	instrument
kantele	kantele
keyb	keyboard
live electr	live electronics
mand	mandolin
mel	melody
org	organ
pno	piano
synth	synthesizer
tape	tape
Vocal
alto	alto
baryt	baritone
basso	bass voice
ch	choir
chc	childrens choir
chf	female choir
chm	male choir
chx	mixed choir
cten	countertenor
mezzo	mezzo-soprano
sopr	soprano
speaker	speaker
ten	tenor
voc	vocal

Symphony orchestra
2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings
Wind band
2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists
Big band
221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums
Additional codes
+	fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo
/	pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ
lib	ad libitum
obl	obligato
str	str: 65432 = specified number of string players
str min	str min: 65432 = at least 65432
str max	str max: 65432 = not more than 65432
solo	vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin

Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra