Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 & Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581

Featuring

Duncan Riddell
Katherine Lacy
Elen Hâf Rideal
Fiona Bonds
Jonathan Ayling
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Performer Biography

Duncan Riddell, the director and violinist for the Chamber Soloists of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, was co-leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and leader of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Instruments

Mozart's Clarinet Concerto was specifically written for the basset clarinet, an instrument with an extended lower range, which fell out of use due to its complex fingerings.

Performer Biography

Katherine Lacy, the clarinetist on this album, was appointed Principal Clarinet with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015.

Compositional Technique

In his Clarinet Concerto, Mozart softened the orchestral textures by replacing oboes with flutes and lightened the bass-line by indicating specific passages for cellos without double bass support.

Performer Biography

Katherine Lacy plays the Clarinet Concerto on a basset clarinet custom-made for her by renowned English clarinet maker Peter Eaton.

Composition History

Both Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet were written for the virtuoso clarinettist Anton Stadler, who was also one of Mozart's close friends.