Jörg Widmann, a clarinetist, composer, and conductor, views Mozart as a constant companion who surprises, shocks, and baffles him with his 'staggering light touch and utter perfection.'
Composition History
Jörg Widmann's Clarinet Quintet was commissioned by the Hagen Quartet, but he initially abandoned the project after 17 bars, feeling unprepared to write a 'true clarinet quintet.'
Historical Context
The clarinet, initially called 'little trumpet' (clarino + etto), gained rapid popularity around 1700 after instrument builders improved upon the chalumeau.
Performer Biography
The Hagen Quartet, whose career began in 1981, had an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon for twenty years, producing around 45 CDs.
Composer Biography
Mozart discovered the clarinet in his early 20s and immediately fell in love with it, later befriending Anton Stadler, a clarinetist in the court orchestra.
Performer Biography
Jörg Widmann is a highly versatile artist, recognized as a clarinetist, composer, and conductor, who has studied at the Juilliard School and with notable composers like Hans Werner Henze and Wolfgang Rihm.
Composition History
Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A major, K.581, also known as the 'Stadler Quintet,' was written for his friend and Masonic lodge brother, Anton Stadler.
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