Krommer Concerto No 1 for 2 Clarinets Op 35 for 2 Clarinets and String Orchestra

Krommer Concerto No. 1 in E flat for 2 Clarinets in E-flat major, Op.35 for 2 Clarinets and String Orchestra

Franz Krommer's Concerto No. 1 for 2 Clarinets in E-flat major, Op.35 puts two soloists in constant conversation, tossing phrases back and forth as equals rather than splitting into a first part and second part. This arrangement keeps Krommer's string writing exactly as he wrote it and folds the original flute, oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets and timpani into the string section, so the two clarinets stay out in front.

Krommer wrote this concerto about a decade after Mozart's clarinet concerto for Anton Stadler, and the opening Allegro shows the same confidence in the instrument's range and colour, scored for maximum effect from both soloists. The Adagio drops into C minor with a dramatic opening, then works through a series of minor-to-major shifts, Krommer holding the first clarinet on sustained notes while the second carries the interest underneath. The Rondo finale sends the two soloists chasing each other through a light 6/8 theme, and gives the second clarinet a real workout in the bottom of its range, a passage that separates the players who can control that register from the players who can't.

At around 22 minutes across three movements, this is a genuine concerto, not a single-movement showpiece. It suits a diploma recital, a concerto evening, or a full-length concert feature for two advanced clarinettists, and gives a chamber or string orchestra something substantial to build a programme around.

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.

• Instrumentation: 2 Solo Clarinets & String Orchestra
• Difficulty: Diploma / advanced professional level
• Duration: approximately 22 minutes (3 movements)
• Style focus: Classical concertante writing; virtuosic dialogue between two clarinets, including extended low-register work for the second clarinet
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Two advanced or professional clarinettists preparing a diploma recital, concerto evening, or festival appearance will find this a real feature piece. It also works for conductors of chamber and string orchestras wanting a substantial concertante item, particularly where Mozart's or Weber's clarinet concertos are already well known in the room.