This album focuses on two works written in Vienna in 1913: Alban Berg's Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano op. 5 and Egon Kornauth's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano.
Composer Biography
Egon Kornauth, born in 1891, studied composition at the Vienna Music Academy and later took private lessons from Franz Schmidt, also obtaining a doctorate in musicology.
Performer Biography
Kilian Herold, a clarinetist on this album, is a professor at Freiburg University of Music and frequently performs with the Berlin Philharmonic and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Historical Context
The years 1900-1914 in Europe, particularly in Vienna, were a thrilling period that saw the birth of musical Modernism and the formation of avant-garde schools.
Compositional Technique
Berg's clarinet pieces contain direct references to his teacher Arnold Schoenberg's piano works, including specific quotes and adoption of his 'non-pianistic' texture.
Compositional Technique
Alban Berg's clarinet pieces are characterized by extreme brevity and 'extreme emotional intensity,' reflecting the aphoristic style of Arnold Schoenberg's circle.
Critical Reception
Egon Kornauth's music, though widely performed during his lifetime, largely vanished from the repertoire after World War II due to its 'conservative' style.
You might also enjoy...
English Music for Clarinet & Piano II: Howells, Bliss & Cooke
Barrios, Cristo: 20th Century Clarinet Sonatas
Brahms:Complete Clarinet Sonatas / Schumann:Fantasiestucke, etc.
Paul Pierné: Andante scherzo - Honegger: Clarinet Sonatina, H. 42
XX UK - 20th Century British Chamber Music for Clarinet and Piano
