Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra op. 104

Weinberg’s Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra, Op. 104 was composed between 31 May and 30 June 1970. Weinberg’s affinity for the clarinet was already revealed in his Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (Op. 28) of 1945 und in the 4th Chamber Symphony (Op. 153) of 1992 composed shortly before his death.

The formal structure of the Concerto is traditional, with the movement sequence “fast – slow – fast.” The opening Allegro is economically structured, with the clarinet gradually blossoming into oscillating figurations against a pizzicato accompaniment. The slow 2nd movement expands independently into a rhapsodic section full of feeling. The ensuing dance of the Finale, both sad and cheeky, is extremely characteristic and is determined by a contrasting theme, a mixture of a march-like character and a reminiscence of the first movement, before the aggressive transformation begins.