Adagios for clarinets

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

in one case completed by Tony Turrill

(i)2 Bb Cl: 3 Bhn. (ii) Bb Cl: 3 Bhn (iii) Bb Cl: 3 Bhn (iv) 2 Bb Cl: Bsn  or Bass Cl.

alternatives are provided in which the basset horn is replaced by a Bb or Eb alto instrument

Click on the quaver preceding each adagio to hear a computer generated  excerpt from it

Adagio K411 for two clarinets and three Basset Horns. Mozart left a number of pieces for Clarinets and Bassets in various associations and various stages of completion.  This, the only one he completed,  is a little gem .  Whilst this score faithfully follows his autograph, for those who haven’t the requisite number of Basset Horns,  the parts contain  transpositions for a quintet of 3 Bb Clarinets,  an Eb Alto Clarinet and a Bass Clarinet.

Adagio K580a for clarinet and three basset horns. Mozart left K 580a with a complete top part and a completed exposition but little else.  It has often been played in completions for  Cor Anglais and Strings.  Whilst the manuscript has  “corno ingles” written above the first stave,  the words  are clearly later additions and not in Mozart’s own hand. It seems probable that the work was for the same combination as the fragment K440c and this completion makes that assumption.   Again the parts contain alternatives for a standard quartet - 2Bb Clarinets, an Eb Alto and a Bass Clarinet. This edition has been completed by Tony Turrill.

The Adagio from the Mozart Oboe Quartet. Whereas the K 580 manuscript leaves room for some argument about its scoring, K 370 was undoubtedly written for oboe and string trio.  However, its adagio has been appropriated in this  transcription for clarinet and three basset horns to avenge the purloining of K580 by our double reed colleagues  for cor and strings.  The movement sits well on the single reed combination.. The Bassets have been left in F, effectively transposing the work from concert F to concert Bb,  as this key suits the range of the four instruments. The clarinet and basset horns is the preferred combination  but transpositions are provided to allow the work to be played with a standard clarinet quartet of two Bbs, an Eb alto and a Bb bass.

Adagio K410 for 2 Basset Horns plus a Bassoon.  As written, the blend of this work perhaps suffers from the divergent sound of the Bassoon and it is interesting to speculate whether Mozart would have preferred a Bass Clarinet had today’s instrument been available.  An alternative transposition of the third part  to allow the combination of Two Basset Horns with a Bass Clarinet in Bb is included in this set should you wish to try it. (the excerpt playing uses this combination)   As, uncharacteristically, Mozart does not use any of the Basset notes of the Basset Horns,  a second possibility  is to play the  Basset Horn parts on Two Bb Clarinets with a Basset Horn in F or Eb Alto  taking the third part - transpositions of the Bassoon parts are also included  for these combinations.

return to top