Clarinet Concerto in Eb Major
Program Notes by Martin Pearlman
Carl Stamitz (1745-1801) was the eldest son of the violinist and composer Johann Stamitz, under whose leadership the Mannheim court orchestra became one of the most renowned in Europe. It was one of the earliest orchestras to include clarinetists as regular members, listing them as early as the 1750's. (Mozart, after hearing the orchestra in 1778, wrote, "Alas, if only we also had clarinets.")
Carl Stamitz would have become familiar with the instrument during the 1760's when he played violin in the orchestra and would have become even more familiar with it during the time he lived in Paris, when he worked with the clarinet virtuoso Joseph Beer. His output included ten clarinet concertos, as well as dozens of concertos for other instruments, symphonies concertantes, symphonies and chamber works.
Boston Baroque Performances
Clarinet Concerto in Eb Major
February 5, 1983
NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
Martin Pearlman, conductor
Soloist:
Erich Hoeprich, clarinet