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When accepting to write a clarinet quintet I first felt scared of the classical ballast of such an ensemble.With the quintets of Mozart and Brahms in mind I felt powerless to imagine any music for this constellation. This turned out to be an interesting paradox during the working process. The fact that the music couldn't be identified by combining unusual instruments together (all these "contemporary music ensemble" pieces) forced me to almost forget the ensemble when starting to write the piece.This is of course not entirely true, because during many years I have been working a lot with the clarinet in collaboration with my very good friend Kari Kriikku; I tried some compositional ideas based on just a line for clarinet ornamented with the string instruments.Another starting point was the influence of "Steamboat Bill Jr." a piece for clarinet and violoncello written some years earlier; I made some sketches for clarinet and violoncello "accompanied" by the 2 violins and the alto.My favourite instrument is the orchestra, so I tried to imitate the "tutti" feeling of an orchestral texture scaled to the size of a clarinet quintet.Despite of its rather extended duration (almost 20 minutes) the work is in one continuous movement. Sections are based on either a static material composed of different scales giving the music an "insect like" appereance, or on directional processes forcing the music to gradually change character or even physically pushing the music to extreme registers or speed.The piece was commissioned by Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and will be first performed by Kari Kriikku and the Jean Sibelius Quartet in Kuhmo on July 16, 1992.© Magnus Lindberg, Helsinki, July 1, 1992(Chester Music Ltd.)Composition of this quintet began and ended in Helsinki, but its development took place in Stockholm in May 1992. Commissioned by the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, in the east of Finland, Clarinet Quintet is the sixth piece written by Lindberg for the clarinettist Kari Kriikku. The starting point was Steamboat Bill Jr. for clarinet and cello: in the programme accompanying the first performance, Lindberg wrote that the first sketches were for clarinet and cello 'accompanied' by two violins and a viola. Confirming his preference for an orchestra, Lindberg tries to imitate the feeling of an orchestral tutti on the scale of a quintet with clarinet. For Lindberg: "Despite of its rather extended duration (almost 20 minutes) the work is in one continuous movement. Sections are based on either a static material composed of different scales giving the music an 'insect like' appereance, or on directional processes forcing the music to gradually change character or even physically pushing the music to extreme registers or speed."© Risto Nieminen, 1993translated (partly) by © Nick Le Quesne© Ircam - Centre Georges-Pompidou, 1993(From Magnus Lindberg, Helsinki 1996)La composition de ce quintette fut commencée et terminée à Helsinki, mais c'est à Stockholm, en mai 1992, qu'il fut élaboré. Commandé par le Festival de musique de chambre à Kuhmo, à l'est de la Finlande, Clarinet Quintet est la sixième pièce écrite par Lindberg pour le clarinettiste Kari Kriikku. Le point de départ était Steamboat Bill Jr. pour clarinette et violoncelle : Lindberg écrit, dans la notice de programme à la création, que les premières esquisses étaient pour clarinette et violoncelle «accompagnés» par deux violons et alto. Affirmant sa prédilection pour l'orchestre, Lindberg essayait d'imiter le sentiment d'un tutti orchestral dans l'échelle du quintette avec clarinette. Pour Lindberg : «Bien qu'elle dure près de vingt minutes, la pièce est en un seul mouvement. Ses sections s'appuient soit sur un matériau statique, composé de gammes différentes, évoquant ainsi un bruissement d'insectes, soit sur des processus directionnels obligeant la musique à changer graduellement de caractère en la poussant vers des extrêmes de registres ou de vitesses.»© Risto Nieminen, 1993© Ircam - Centre Georges-Pompidou, 1993(From Magnus Lindberg, Ircam 1993)

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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