Mozart Clarinet Concerto

concerto : a musical form that balances a solo instrument with the orchestra. In the classical era the concerto had become an established form, usually with a first movement in sonata form and a third movement rondo or theme variations. the concerto displays the skills of the soloist and the qualities of the solo instrument.

classical era: a musical era approximately from 1750 to 1820. the main composers working in this style and era as well as mozart were haydn (1732- 1809), schubert (1797- 1828) and beethoven (1770-1827). Schubert and beethoven straddle the classical and romantic eras, as can be seen by their lifetime dates.

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The first movement

This was most often composed in sonata form, with three main sections that were balanced: exposition,

development and recapitulation. Balance in music comes from a range of factors, including:

❖ balancing the length of each section

❖ balancing the texture between the sections that make up each movement

❖ balancing the roles of soloist and orchestra

❖ balancing thematic material between sections

❖ balancing dynamics and expression

Concerto forms in the eighteenth-century concerto

The second movement
This was also in three parts, balanced and symmetrical, and often in ternary or ABA form, with three sections formed from a first section, a contrasting middle section and a repeat of the first section. The third movement was usually balanced with the first movement in length, as the second movement was often shorter.

Virtuoso: the term can be used to describe a musician of outstanding skill, or to describe a skilful performance of a technically demanding section of music

The third movement
This was often in theme and variations or rondo form, both multisection structures that are based on the musical principles of repetition and contrast. The form of the movement is rondo form, a common form in the final movements of Mozart’s concertos. The third movement
This was often in theme and variations or rondo form, both multisection structures that are based on the musical principles of repetition and contrast. The form of the movement is rondo form, a common form in the final movements of Mozart’s concertos. The third movements of both Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the Kegelstatt Trio (for clarinet, viola and piano) are rondos.
third movements of both Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the Kegelstatt Trio (for clarinet, viola and piano) are rondos.

Concert pitch: the sounding pitch of an instrument. For transposing instruments this is different from the written pitch.

Transposing instruments: instruments whose music is written in a different key from the sounding key. For example, a clarinet in A reads a C on the transposed part, the player plays the note known as C on their instrument, and the note sounds as the A a minor third below the written pitch.

Key signature: the key of a piece or musical part is produced by the pattern of sharp, flat and natural notes that are in the scale of the key. A key signature is a series of sharps or flats, or neither, that is written between the clef and the time signature to produce the key.

Accidental: an added sharp, flat or natural sign that changes a note from its key signature note, or then changes from its accidental back to the key signature note. Both are included in the transposing learning activity for you to practise. In the first few bars of the opening of the solo clarinet part there is an accidental F#, then an F♮ in the following bar to return the note to its key signature note.

FORMS

The F♮ accidental is unnecessary, as accidentals last only for the remainder of the bar they appear in, so this is a courtesy or reminder accidental for the performer.

Rondo form: a series of statements of the main thematic material with a contrasting episode
between each main section.
ABACA

Episode: a contrasting section between repeats of the A section.
the b and the c section

Sonata form: a musical form common in the Classical era and used in almost all first movements of sonatas, symphonies, string quartets and other chamber works.

Exposition: the opening exposition section in sonata form introduces thematic material, with a contrasting first and second subject presented in the tonic and a closely related key respectively, most often the dominant key.

Development: the second section in sonata form develops thematic material, often with modulation through and to more distant keys from the tonic than those of the exposition. Thematic material is changed slightly with changes in rhythm, pitch, sonority and texture, as well as by extension, i.e. with
new material added.

Recapitulation: the third section in sonata form, with both first and second subjects presented in
the tonic.

INSRUMENTATION

Tonic: first degree of the scale, so A is the tonic in A major in this rondo.

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Dominant: fifth degree of the scale, so E is the dominant in A major (remember we count inclusively in

music, with A as 1, B as 2, etc. to E as the fifth degree above A). The dominant chord, based on the

dominant note, is the most important chord after the tonic as this helps to produce a perfect cadence.

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❖ The B section theme returns during the long C section.

❖ The keys are balanced across the form, as the ‘outside’ A sections, A, A2 and A3, are in the tonic, whereas the A1 section modulates to close on a C# major chord.

❖ The episodes contrast with the A sections by including keys other than the tonic.

section A = rondo theme , bars 1-56, A major = tonic

section B = fist episode , bars 57- 113