Rabaud Solo de Concours Op. 10 for Clarinet and String Orchestra

Rabaud's Solo de concours, Op. 10 was written in 1901 as a competition piece for the Paris Conservatoire — which explains both the title ("competition solo") and the character of the writing: technically demanding enough to separate players, lyrical enough to reveal musical sensibility, and structured to display the clarinet's full range within a compact timeframe. This arrangement by Paul Wood sets it for solo clarinet and string orchestra, replacing the original piano accompaniment with an orchestral part that gives the performance genuine concert weight.

Concours pieces of this period were designed to test everything in a short space, and Rabaud's does exactly that. The writing covers the full range of the clarinet, from the warm chalumeau register to the bright upper clarion, and moves between passages of technical agility and extended lyrical lines that ask for tonal control, dynamic nuance, and stylistic understanding of French early 20th century music. For an advanced player, it requires both technical security and real musical maturity to bring off convincingly.

The string orchestra part provides harmonic support and rhythmic framework while keeping the focus firmly on the solo line.

At four to five minutes, it's a well-proportioned recital or concert piece. The competition origins mean it has been a reliable test of what an advanced clarinettist can do for well over a century, and those qualities translate directly into a concert performance.

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 Clarinet and String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: advanced clarinet; intermediate to advanced string parts
• Duration: approximately 4-5 minutes
• Style focus: full clarinet range, French early 20th century style, technical agility and lyrical contrast
• Arranger: Paul Wood for MyMusicScores
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

Suits an advanced clarinet student or professional preparing for auditions, competitions, or recitals, and an orchestra looking to feature their principal clarinet in a distinguished French solo work. The string parts are at intermediate to advanced level, making it realistic for conservatoire ensembles and strong youth or amateur orchestras.