The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-05-26 23:18
I had to refresh my memory, so I start a new thread.
After returning from a successful tour of Russia in 1832, Heinrich Bärmann
had plans to soon go back there again and this time in company with his son Carl.
They started in late fall the same year with concerts in Germany. In
December they arrived in Berlin where they stayed with Mendelsohn. They
needed some new music so they begged Mendelsohn to write something for them
to entertain the Russian court. Carl asked for a solo for basset horn and
Mendelsohn actually had plans to write a piece like this but it was never
composed. Instead they got a Konsertstück in F minor op. 113 for clarinet,
basset horn and piano that was first performed Jan. 5th 1833 in Berlin with
Mendelsohn at the piano. This was such a success that shortly after their
departure for Russia, the Bärmanns wrote to Mendelsohn and asked for a second
one. Mendelsohn started to complete this Konsertstück no.2 in D minor
immediately and sent it to them at Köningsberg already on Jan.19th.
In a funny letter that Mendelsohn enclosed you can read that the first theme
is originally composed by H. Bärmann. In the slow movement he wants to
remind them of a dinner party that they attended and here, the figures in
the basset horn represent his own grumbling stomach. The third movement he
writes, is kept cold, because they are going to Russia, where it is cold.
Have fun, Alphie
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-05-27 11:21
For good books on our subject, go to: http://www.vcisinc.com/history.htm
(If Iwant to make this into a link: http://www.vcisinc.com/history.htm , what do I have to do?)
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