Crusell: Concertante / Bassoon Concertino / Introduction and Swedish Air

Featuring

Osmo Vänskä
Anna-Maija Korsimaa-Hursti
László Hara
Ib Lanzky-Otto
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Bernhard Henrik Crusell

Did you know?

1/7

Performer Biography

Osmo Vänskä, the conductor on this album, is also an accomplished clarinetist and continues to perform on the instrument despite his busy conducting schedule.

Composition History

The Concertino for bassoon was composed by Crusell for his son-in-law, Frans Preumayr, a renowned bassoonist, just before Preumayr embarked on a major European concert tour.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Crusell primarily composed for wind soloists, not symphonies, because he and his colleagues in the Stockholm opera orchestra needed new repertoire for both concerts and salons.

Compositional Technique

The Concertino for bassoon incorporates a melody by Boieldieu, first as a minor-key variation and then in its original major form, serving as the basis for two bassoon variations.

Composer Biography

Bernhard Henrik Crusell, born in Finland in 1775, served as the principal clarinetist of the Swedish Royal Opera orchestra from 1793 to 1833.

Notable Performances

Crusell's Sinfonia Concertante, Op.3, was his most frequently performed work in 19th-century Stockholm, often featuring a trio of wind soloists including Crusell himself.

Composition History

Crusell's "Introduction et Air suédois, Op.12" was based on a popular Swedish drinking song from 1795 and marked his debut as a composer in Stockholm in 1804.