Louis Spohr
Clarinet Concerto no. 1 c minor op. 26
The Clarinet Concerto in c minor of 1809 is the very first work by Louis Spohr to grace our catalogue. The first in a series of four concertos written by Spohr for the virtuoso Johann Simon Hermstedt has lost nothing of its romantic magic and belongs to the standard repertoire of every clarinettist. Besides taking a close look at the Leipzig first edition of 1812, our edition reassesses Spohr’s autograph score for the first time: after it was rediscovered, it was possible to do away with many imprecisions and irregularities found in earlier editions. Christoph Sobanski’s new piano reduction wonderfully fits the hands.
About the Composer
Louis Spohr
Composer and virtuoso violinist who also made important contributions to German opera. He was regarded by many of his contemporaries as one of the greatest German composers.
| 1784 | Born in Braunschweig on April 5, the son of a doctor and a singer and pianist mother. |
| 1799 | Appointed second violinist in the Court Chapel of the Duke of Braunschweig. |
| from 1802 | He accompanies the virtuoso Fr. Eck on his concert tours all the way to St. Petersburg. He receives instruction in violin and gains experience as a concertmaster. After 1803 he undertakes his own travels and rises to become one of the most sought-after violin virtuosi. Numerous compositions, including violin concerti, chamber music, the Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 20, and the first three operas. |
| 1805–12 | Concertmaster in Gotha. |
| 1813–15 | Orchestral director at the Theater an der Wien; composition of chamber music and his opera “Faust,” which is premiered in Prague in 1816. |
| 1817–19 | Director of opera and music at the Stadttheater in Frankfurt am Main. |
| 1819 | Premiere of his opera “Zemire und Azor.” |
| 1819/20 | Travels to London and Paris. |
| 1822 | Kapellmeister in Kassel, where he will remain until the end of his life. Primarily director of the opera. Numerous compositions (further symphonies, concerti, piano works, chamber music, songs, oratorios). His “Appeal to German Composers” to compose large-scale Romantic operas. |
| 1823 | Premiere in Kassel of his most important opera “Jessonda,” an important contribution to the development of German grand opera through its replacement of recitatives with dialogues. |
| 1825 | Premiere of his opera “Der Berggeist” (“The Mountain Spirit”). |
| 1827 | Premiere of the oratorio “Die letzten Dinge” (“The Last Judgment”). |
| 1843 | He performs Wagner’s “Der fliegende Holländer” (“The Flying Dutchman”) in Kassel. |
| 1859 | Death in Kassel on October 22. |
recommendations
autogenerated_cross_selling
Further editions of this title
Further editions of this title
Orchestral material from Breitkopf & Härtel