Written For a Friend

Of all the pieces Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) wrote, his Clarinet Concerto is the only one of its kind that he composed shortly before his death. Often described as Mozart’s “swan song,” the concerto was written for his friend, Anton Stadler, who performed in many of Mozart’s symphonies and operas. Stadler also inspired another one of Mozart’s popular works, the Clarinet Quintet, for two violins, viola, cello, and, of course, the clarinet.

The Clarinet Concerto was initially composed for the basset clarinet (a clarinet with a lower register). Unfortunately, no program of the Concerto’s premiere exists, but it was likely on October 16, 1791, when Stadler performed a concert in Prague. The original score was lost after Stadler’s death in 1812, when the basset clarinet fell out of use. Mozart’s printed score of the Concerto was published posthumously.

During the 1960s, Alan Hacker, an English clarinetist, led the reconstruction of the basset clarinet, with the close collaboration of renowned musicologists and instrument builders. Later versions of the Clainet Concerto were adapted for the standard clarinet we know today. Mozart’s "swan song" is one of the most frequently performed clarinet concertos and is loved by audiences worldwide.