The slow movement of Concerto No 2, an Andante pastorale, is scored for clarinet and strings alone and features a long clarinet melody over held chords and pizzicato cellos.
Compositional Technique
Crusell's clarinet concertos, unlike those of some contemporaries, limit the solo part's upper range to G in alt, despite his teacher Franz Tausch's more extended range.
Composer Biography
Bernhard Henrik Crusell, a Finnish clarinetist and composer, was born into a family of bookbinders who initially tried to discourage his musical interests.
Composer Biography
Crusell became the first Finnish composer to have his works published, with Peters of Leipzig publishing several of his clarinet compositions.
Composition History
Crusell's Concerto No 1 in E flat major Op 1 is dedicated to Count Gustaf Trolle-Bonde, an art connoisseur and patron who was a frequent guest at his mansion.
Composition History
The 'Grand Concerto' No 2 in F minor Op 5 is dedicated to Alexander I of Russia, likely in gratitude for favors received during Crusell's visit to St Petersburg.
