 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-28 22:09
Does anyone have any information on this man, or lead me in the right direction to find out?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2001-11-28 22:15
Emms - check out Pamela Weston's "Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past".
Lots of information / biography / compositions etc... of Crusell ...GBK
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2001-11-28 22:16
He's actually pretty well-known. Try just about any of the internet search engines.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-28 22:19
i've ben trying, Jack, but haven't had much luck so far.
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-28 22:41
Thanks GBK - I'll have to wat for a day I can spend some time here, I think. I'll save up a few questions. Will let you know how I get on. will try the book too if I can find it.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2001-11-28 23:45
From the Crusell home page:
Bernard Hendrik Crusell was born in Nystad (Finland) in 1775. He went to Stockholm at the age of sixteen to study music. Two years later he was engaged as first
clarinet player in the Royal Band. After further study in Berlin and Paris (composition with Gossec) he was considered to be one of the best clarinet virtuosi of his
time. In appreciation of his qualities he was appointed director of the Music Corps of the Royal Swedish Grenadier Regiments, a position which he conscientiously
filled until his death in 1838. Amongst the compositions of Crusell are to be found a number of wind chamber-music works and several clarinet concertos, as well as
an opera and many songs. His music is vital, melodious and skilfully written. He excelled himself also as a translator of operas. Mozart's Figaro, Beethoven's Fidelio,
Rossini's Barber were performed for the first time on the Swedish stage due to his initiative.
From the Finnish Music Information Center:
2.3 Bernhard Crusell
The most important Finnish composer of the Classical period — and, indeed, the
outstanding Finnish composer up to Sibelius — was Bernhard Henrik Crusell
(1775–1838). Born in Finland, he settled in Sweden in 1791, and was first
clarinetist of the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm from 1793 to 1833. Crusell
was a renowned clarinet virtuoso, and made study trips and concert tours to
Germany in 1798, 1803 and 1811; on the second occasion, he travelled as far as
Paris.
Concertos were the backbone of Crusell's output. His three clarinet concertos are
among the standard international repertoire for the instrument. Several complete
recordings have been made. In addition to concertos proper, Crusell also
composed other concertante works.
Dating of the concertos
We do not know the precise dates of Crusell's concertos. The Finnish Crusell
expert Fabian Dahlström believes that the works can be dated as follows, with
certain reservations:
- Introduction et Air suèdois for clarinet and orchestra op. 12 (premiered 1804,
later rewritten, published c. 1830)
- Clarinet Concerto in B flat major Op. 11 (c. 1807?, later revised, published
1829)
- Sinfonia concertante in B flat major for clarinet, horn, bassoon and orchestra
Op. 3 (premiered 1808, published 1816)
- Clarinet Concerto in E flat major Op. 1 (completed 1810, published 1811 or
1812)
- Clarinet Concerto in F minor Op. 5 (premiered 1815, published c. 1818)
- Concertino in B flat major for bassoon and orchestra (1829)
The opus numbering of the clarinet concertos is based on the order of publication,
which differs from the probable order of composition. Crusell is known to have
performed one of his concertos in 1807, and stylistic and other grounds suggest
that this was probably the B flat major Concerto op. 11.
The orchestral score of the Air suèdois for bassoon and orchestra is lost. Only a
piano version has been preserved. Kalevi Aho orchestrated the work in 1990.
Entirely lost works by Crusell include a set of variations for horn and orchestra
and two movements of an unfinished horn concerto. Crusell composed these horn
works during the first decade of the 19th century.
Crusell's concertos: influence of Spohr and Weber
The three clarinet concertos are Crusell's best-known works. Stylistically they
hark back to late Viennese Classicism, but also reflect the influence of Louis
Spohr and Carl Maria von Weber, whose clarinet concertos provide an obvious
point of reference. Crusell composed his concertos for his own use, and the solo
parts are very musicianly in character.
Although the music is technically quite demanding, Crusell did not succumb to the
temptations of superficial virtuosity. He made effective use of the songful quality of
the clarinet, and of its range and capacity for abrupt switches of register.
Clarinet Concerto in F minor Op. 5
The finest of Crusell's clarinet concertos – and perhaps the high point in his whole
career – is the Concerto in F minor, dedicated to Czar Alexander I of Russia.
The work shows some affinity with Beethoven. The minor key in itself lends a
certain dark tone to the music.
The first movement opens with a restrained unison and goes on to unite cantabile
and virtuoso elements. The slow movement shows Crusell at his most poetic and
serene. The work closes with a lively rondo, which ultimately turns into F major.
Crusell's other two concertos are somewhat more conventional. The virtuoso
element is more pronounced in both works than in the Concerto in F minor. Both
have a middle movement with a languorous songfulness that contrasts aptly with
the faster, virtuoso opening and finale.
Introduction et Air suèdois
Introduction et Air suèdois for clarinet and orchestra is the work with which, in
1804, Crusell made his Stockholm début as a composer. It is a lively set of
variations on Olof Åhlström's drinking song Supvisa, well known to Stockholm
audiences. In fact the work was first presented as "Variationer på visan: Goda
gåsse, glaset töm" (Variations on the song: 'Dear boy, empty the glass'), in
reference to the ditty's opening words. Crusell obviously designed the work as a
showcase for his instrumental skill.
Sinfonia concertante in B flat major
The Sinfonia concertante in B flat major is a concerto of symphonic proportions
for three solo instruments and orchestra. Crusell composed the solo parts for a
wind trio in which he himself played the clarinet. From the premiere in 1808 to the
end of Crusell's life, the Sinfonia concertante was Crusell's most-played work in
Stockholm. It was also performed in Leipzig and London.
The bright, expansive opening movement is Crusell's longest single concerto
movement. The slow movement, soulfully songlike, has much beautiful
ornamentation. The work ends in a rondo with a central passage consisting of
variations on a theme borrowed from Luigi Cherubini's opera Les deux journées.
Concertino in B flat major
Crusell composed the Concertino in B flat major for his son-in-law, bassoonist
Frans Preumayr, to play on a tour of Europe in 1829 and 1830. The work is in a
fairly free form, with three movements played without pause.
The central movement consists of two variations on a theme by François Adrien
Boieldieu. There is no slow movement proper. The solo score is highly demanding
– Preumayr, one of Europe's leading bassoonists, called the piece his "warhorse".
2.4. Finland – musical backwater
Crusell performed his life's work in Sweden. He made his last visit to his home
country in summer 1801, when he performed in Turku and Helsinki. In those
days, Finland was undeniably a musical backwater. The centre of musical
activities was Turku, where the Turku Society of Music (Turun Soitannollinen
Seura), founded in 1790, had done invaluable work in promoting music and had
set up an orchestra of its own.
As a result of a war in 1808 and 1809, Sweden ceded Finland to Russia. Helsinki
was made capital of the new autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. The
university was transferred to Helsinki after the great fire of Turku in 1828, spelling
an end to Turku's role as the hub of Finnish music life.
Those were in the first 30 of over 400 hits I got on "Look Smart." Lycos generated a similar list.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-29 09:13
Jack, you're wonderful. Thanks ever so. Don't know why I couldn't find much.
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-11-30 20:06
Dear Emms!
I've spent a great deal of time in Swedish libraries researching about Crusell and have access to a lot of information here, including his travel-diaries from 1803, 1811 and 1822 as well as original manuscripts etc. etc. You're welcome to send me a mail if you have any specific question concerning his life or work.
Alphie
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