Mozart K622 Clarinet Concerto Vinyl

Two months before his death in October 1791, Mozart completed the clarinet concerto, his last concerto and final major work. In the final period of his life, Mozart suffered poor health, domestic problems and financial difficulties. Despite these intrusive problems, or perhaps because of them, the concerto has a remarkable, other worldly serenity and beauty.

The concerto was written for Anton Stadler who was very prominent in the Viennese musical life around 1780. Like Mozart, Stadler was a Freemason; they both belonged to the same lodge. Even before Mozart had met and heard Stadler play, he had been enchanted by the clarinet's beautiful, velvety vocal qualities.

When this concerto was written, the clarinet was a relative newcomer and few solo works had been written for it. In the 1740s, Molter, the Stamitzes, father and son, and even Vivaldi had tried their hand at clarinet concertos. Although interesting, none of these compositions even hint at the melodic, vocal and virtuoso possibilities of the clarinet.

The Mozart concerto is from a different universe to its predecessors. Mozart utilised the three registers of the clarinet in a wholly new and innovative way. This, combined with the vocal quality of the writing, allows the soloist to 'voice' complementary phrases in different registers, giving an almost operatic quality to many sections of the concerto. After this concerto, the clarinet's world was forever changed.

The clarinet concerto is in three movements. The first movement has great richness of harmonic and melodic material. The opening orchestral exposition sets the stage for the clarinet's entry. Delightfully, and unusually, the clarinet then enters into a give and take conversation with the orchestra, sharing the melodic and harmonic material. (This contrasts with the Mozart's four horn concertos, in which the horn performs as a solo instrument with simple accompaniment.) Nevertheless, there are many opportunities for virtuoso display within the collaborative framework.

The heart and centre of gravity of the concerto is the second movement, with its exquisite, limpid, melodic beauty which engulfs and enchants the listener.

The third movement is a rondo which tests the artist's virtuosity, not just with fancy finger work but, more importantly, with refinement and sensibility contrasted with wit and a faint sadness.

This concerto is easily the greatest clarinet concerto and, for that matter, the greatest concerto ever written for any wind instrument.

Side A	1. Allegro 12.38
Side B	1. Adagio 7.58 2. Rondo Allegro 8.51
Clarinet	Antony Michaelson
Orchestra	Michaelangelo Chamber Orchestra
Conductor	Robert Bailey
Leader	Adrian Levine
Recording Studio	Henry Wood Hall, London
Date	19 November 2003