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The composition of the Clarinet Concerto was decided back in April 2000, when I visited New York to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra perform my Eighth Symphony at the Carnegie Hall. I met my future soloist Richard Stoltzman and the representatives of the commissioning trio: Theodore Friedman, International Arts Foundation and the National Symphony Orchestra – suitably detached from the ground, on the eighteenth floor of the Parker Meridien Hotel. When Dick Stoltzman later visited Helsinki twice, I was able to play and study the three movement concerto with him, while still composing it, and discuss the emerging problems.At the opening the atmosphere is dramatic (Drammatico ma flessibile), the solo voice gradually rising up from orchestral eruptions. The horn suggests a cantabile theme which the clarinet starts to develop, making it more and more ecstatic. At the opening the relationship between the solo and orchestra sounds almost aggressive, but now a common line has been found. After a culmination there follows a cadenza, in which the latter part is left (as in early classical practice) for the soloist to compose. But the dark-voiced brother, the bass clarinet, joins in and leads the music back to cantabile. For a moment the eruptions of the beginning return, until the tranquil mood gets the upper hand and the movement closes peacefully. But in the finale we will hear that the conflict has not yet been resolved: we come back to it again.The slow movement, Adagio assai, is a continuous poetic narration, in which melodic beauty is sometimes capable of telling us of deeper and more serious things than any tempestuous drama. The finale, a speedy Vivace, returns to the dramatic world of the opening movement. There are new rhythmic variations on the motifs encountered in the first movement: now they are virtuosic textures full of action. It is obvious that Richard Stoltzman’s co-operation at the composing stage was essential for many of the technically demanding passages. But the lyricism of the slow movement was also, in a way, a result of the exceptionally soft and expressive sound of his clarinet. Therefore I decided to dedicate the concerto “to Richard Stoltzman and the sound of his clarinet”.© Einojuhani Rautavaara 2002

Year of composing

Arranger

Movements

Availability

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