Konzert für Klarinette und Orchester (2008)
(for clarinet and orchestra)

The Clarinet Concerto was composed in 2008. Cerha repeatedly turned to the genre of instrumental concertos, with a preference for certain instruments evident in his choice of solo parts. Between 1951 and 1996, he composed concertos for piano, violin, viola and cello, as well as double concertos for violin and cello and for flute and bassoon. In his late works from 2002 onwards, he was interested in instrumental concertos for violin, saxophone and percussion on the one hand, while on the other hand the clarinet, one of his favourite instruments, played a prominent role in the field of chamber music. This is evident, among other things, in the ‘Clarinet Quintet’, whose clarinet part was performed by Andreas Schablas in Salzburg in 2008. ‘Very beautiful,’ said Cerha, and it had repercussions: ‘The following night, I dreamed that I was writing a clarinet concerto – and eventually the dream became reality.’ The concerto has four movements. The first movement, Overture, is introduced by a "decidedly downward-striving theme. Two stubborn motifs, obstructive to the orchestra, form the middle section‘ (Cerha). - Attacca follows the second movement, a cheerful capriccio, ‘light-footedly scurrying along’. In the middle, however, a ‘trumpeting theme appears, which – very rarely for me – is played in a highly artistic contrapuntal manner.’ - The most extensive slow third movement, strict and serious in character, is formally very complex. A song from the ‘Buch von der Minne’ (1946-64) is quoted three times with strong variations. - The fourth movement, the finale, initially contains material from the overture, and the two stubborn motifs also reappear. Then, fortissimo phrases repeatedly disrupt a ‘pale, indecisive movement.’ The cadenza for the clarinet questions the two overture motifs. The music now takes up the scherzando of the Cariccio and finds in it ‘an idiosyncratic conclusion.’ (Lothar Knessl)