Crusell, born in Finland, moved to Stockholm in 1791 and remained there until his death, serving in the Royal Opera Orchestra from 1793 until his retirement in 1834.
Composition History
The genre of quartets for clarinet, violin, viola, and cello was popular among clarinettists seeking a more intimate repertoire suitable for fashionable drawing-rooms.
Compositional Technique
Crusell's Quartet in D major, dedicated to Royal Chamberlain Gustav Löwenhjelm, shows classical ideals combined with romantic tendencies like chromatic harmony and Schubertian sensitivity.
Composer Biography
Bernhard Henrik Crusell (1775-1838) was a highly talented musician from the Nordic countries, known as a clarinettist, composer, military bandmaster, and opera translator.
Performer Biography
Osmo Vänskä, the clarinetist on this recording, is also a highly successful conductor with numerous award-winning recordings for BIS.
Critical Reception
Crusell's Quartet in C minor, which he called 'one of my best quartets,' was positively received by the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung in 1818.
Composer Biography
Crusell received first-rate clarinet instruction in Berlin from Franz Tausch, considered the greatest virtuoso of the day, around 1798.
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