Bruch Double Concerto Op. 88 in E minor for Viola Clarinet and String Orchestra

Bruch's Double Concerto in E minor, Op. 88 was written for viola and clarinet, and this edition presents it as he conceived it: the original solo lines intact, with Paul Wood's reduction of the full orchestral score to string orchestra making it practical for ensembles without a full wind and brass section.

The orchestration follows the same approach as the full orchestral score: the existing string writing kept intact where possible, with wind and brass parts redistributed into the strings, rewritten to be idiomatic while preserving Bruch's harmonic warmth and richness. Both soloists remain clearly at the front of the texture throughout.

The combination of viola and clarinet is distinctive. Their timbres are genuinely different but sit well together, and Bruch exploits that contrast throughout: the viola's dark, slightly veiled quality against the clarinet's more penetrating, woody tone gives the dialogue between the two instruments a character that a pair of string instruments can't replicate. It's the sound Bruch actually heard when he wrote this music, and it's worth experiencing on its own terms.

Everything else that makes the Double Concerto worth programming applies here equally: the long, arching late Romantic melodies, the lush harmonies, the sense of two voices in genuine musical conversation across three substantial movements. It's performed far less often than it deserves to be, and most audiences will come to it fresh.

At 18 minutes it works naturally as the centrepiece of a concert programme.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Viola + Solo Clarinet + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: Advanced (both soloists); advanced string orchestra
• Duration: approximately 18 minutes
• Orchestral arrangement: Paul Wood
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This suits conservatoire students and professional violists and clarinettists looking for a major double concerto in the original instrumentation that can be performed without a full symphony orchestra. It works well in chamber orchestra concerts, conservatoire programmes, and music society events where two advanced soloists from different instrument families are available. For conductors and programmers, it offers the added interest of an unusual combination alongside music of real quality. A violin and viola version with Lindemann's violin arrangement is also available separately.