The Clarinet and the Italian orchestra.

orchestra. As a young composer he wrote two of which were for flute, two clarinets,
the canzonetta “Or che la notte,” for so- horn and orchestra and one for flute, clari-
Opera Composers of the 19th prano, clarinet and piano, dedicated to net, horn and orchestra. One of these was
Lady Teresina Spadaro; the Piccola com- performed in an academy of the Collegio
century*
posizione (Concertino) for clarinet and di Musica di Napoli in December 1817:
by Adriano Amore orchestra; the Larghetto in Fa maggiore […]signor Mercadante conducted as
for two flutes, basset horn, two horns and Concertmaster and was the composer of
(English translation by Antonio Pas- bassoon and two Studi (1821), of which six nice pieces, written with bright imagi-
saro) the Primo for solo clarinet and the Sec- nation, correct style and a rare purity of

C
ondo for clarinet and bass, both composed taste. The audience appreciated mostly a
ontrary to common thought, al- for his friend, the clarinetist Francesco great Concerto for four wind instruments
most every Italian opera composer Benigni, who played in the ’30s in differ- which gave to the young Mercadante the
of the 19th century wrote instru- ent orchestras in Bergamo. In dedicating honor of the press.
mental music and particularly music for these studies to him, Donizetti writes his The compositions written by Giovanni
the clarinet. Some of them even learned its surname incorrectly (per l’amico Beg- Pacini (1796–1867) belong to his artistic
technique—like Vincenzo Bellini, Save- nigni), while in the second it is correct (a maturity. Except for the youthful Pot-
rio Mercadante and Francesco Morlacchi. Benigni). On the title pages of both manu- pourrì for clarinet, two violins and cello,
Others, through different orchestral and scripts, there is the addition, added later published in 1824, all the other composi-
chamber music compositions, could taste by another hand “Proprietà di L. Benigni” tions date back to the period when he was
its timbral and technical qualities, and (Property of L. Benigni). Probably he is chapel master and director of the Istituto
later reusing them in their opera composi- Luciano Benigni, a son or a relative of Musicale in Lucca. In these situations he
tions. Many opera composers also wrote Francesco, active in 1886 as first clarinet composed the Laudamus and Gratias for
music for the clarinet in order to satisfy in the orchestra of the Basilica of Gandino baritone, obbligato clarinet and orchestra,
virtuoso friends or primarily for didactic (Bergamo). the Quoniam in La, for bass, clarinet and
purposes. Even though of German origin, orchestra, the Concertone for oboe, clari-
To this last group belongs all the mu- Giovanni Simone Mayr (1763–1845) net, trumpet, trombone with orchestra. In
sic composed by Bonifazio Asioli (1769– must be remembered among the most the last years of his life he composed the
1832) for his School of Music of Correg- prolific Italian composers of music for very good Divertimento for clarinet, cello
gio (Reggio Emilia). For the teacher of the clarinet. As a matter of fact, he said: and piano. This was performed for the first
clarinet Fortunato Palazzi he composed “Rightly I must be remembered as an Ital- time in an academy given on October 19,
the Breve Metodo, while for the pupils ian, not as a German composer.” Today we 1865, at the Theatre of Buti (Pisa) by the
of the same school he wrote the Sestetto have more than 100 compositions written clarinetist Luigi Angeli (1828–1877), the
for harpsichord (or piano), clarinet, horn, by him for the clarinetists of the Cappella cellist Tesi and the pianist Leonetta Giulli,
bassoon, viola and cello, the Sestetto for Musicale in Bergamo, of which he was for whom it was explicitly composed.
two violins, clarinet, horn, viola and bas- the conductor. Included among these were Considered one of the best opera com-
soon and the 16 Quartetti for clarinet, two many sacred compositions with obbligato posers of the second half of the 19th cen-
horns and bassoon. clarinet or basset horn; the Concerto for tury, Amilcare Ponchielli (1834–1886)
From Luigi Cherubini (1760-–1842), piccolo, flute, clarinet, basset horn and or- composed also some valuable pieces for
a composer active mainly in France, we chestra; the Tema con variazioni for clari- the clarinet. In 1857 he wrote Il Convegno
have 2 Morceaux for clarinet and bass net and small orchestra; the Concerto for Divertimento, Op. 76 for two clarinets
written in 1822 and 1824 as a sightreading basset horn and orchestra; the 12 Baga- and orchestra, “explicitly composed and
piece for the exams at the Conservatory of telles for flute, clarinet and basset horn; dedicated with true affection to the friends
Music of Paris – and the Offertorium (Ave the Trio for clarinet, violin and bass; the Alessandro Peri and Massimiliano Sac-
Maria gratia plena) for soprano and clari- 2 Sonate for clarinet, violone and piano; chi.” The author also made an arrangement
net with accompaniment of two violins, the 6 Fioretti for basset horn, and piano with piano accompaniment, published by
viola, cello and double bass. This piece and many Divertimenti, Sonate, Quintetti, Edizioni Lucca in Milan and reprinted in
was much appreciated in England where Sestetti and other pieces for solo wind in- 1888 by Edizioni Ricordi (I-Mc). In the
during the 19th century it was performed struments with clarinet or clarinets and/or same year he also most likely composed
many times by the clarinetists Henry La- basset horn. the Duetto, Op. 78 Paolo e Virginia, for
zarus (1815–1895) and Thomas Lindsay All the compositions by Saverio Mer- violin, clarinet and piano, and the Ricor-
Willman (1784–1840). cadante (1795–1870) date back to the danze della Traviata Divertimento, Op.
Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848) wrote time when he was a student at the Colle- 82, for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano.
many sacred compositions for voices and gio di Musica di Napoli. For some school He composed in 1857 the Quartetto,
orchestra with an obbligato clarinet or bas- concerts he composed 3 Quartetti, Op. 50 Op. 110 for flute, oboe, piccolo clarinet in
set horn, between 1814 and 1821. Some for flute, clarinet, horn and bassoon, the E-flat and clarinet in B-flat with piano ac-
of these compositions are: Qui tollis, for Trio for clarinet, violin and cello, the Con- companiment, performed for the first time
tenor, obbligato clarinet and orchestra, certo in E-flat, Op. 76, the Concerto in on September 16, 1857, at the Teatro della
Preces meae for tenor, basset horn and B-flat, Op. 101 and the three Concertoni, Concordia in Cremona: ‘‘On that night the
skilled orchestra-players Alessandro Peri, time with oboe. pelouze (1777– ?), an amateur clarinetist
Tronconi Giuseppe, Massimiliano Sacchi The class of clarinet taught by Petronio and member of the editorial staff of the
and Valdemi Antonio performed a quartet Avoni (?-1839) was started in the Liceo Courier Francais.
for clarinet, clarone , oboe and flute, a very Musicale in Bologna, only in the school The only composition by Giuseppe
beautiful composition by our skilled Maes- year 1811–12, when Rossini had already Verdi (1813–1901) that we know some-
tro Amilcare Ponchielli. It was welcomed completed his studies (November 1810) thing about is the Tema originale, per-
with many roaring applauses.’’ and had moved to Venice. After 1812 he formed by the clarinetist Giuseppe Mari-
In 1873 the composer edited a new ver- composed the septet La Notte, Temporale, gliani in Busseto on October 12, 1834, in
sion of this piece with orchestral accom- Preghiera, Caccia for two flutes, clarinet the vocal and instrumental academy per-
paniment, performed on the 8th of Septem- and string quartet and the Tema con vari- formed in the living room of the Barezzi
ber of the same year in an academy given azioni for flute, clarinet, horn and bassoon. home.
at the Conservatory of Milan by the flutist The latter—published for the first time in The compositions for clarinet by Vin-
Davide Carcano, oboist Abele Zani and Paris in 1828 by the sons of the publisher cenzo Bellini (1801–1835), written when
clarinetists Emilio Porrini (1858–1900) Schott, together with the first five Sonate he was a student and quoted in some 19th
and Luigi Maldura (1858- post. 1907). a Quattro for two violins, cello and double century biographies, have probably been
Gioacchino Rossini (1792–1868) has bass transcribed for flute, clarinet and bas- lost.
always paid great attention to the clarinet, soon by Frédéric Berr (1794–1838)— Among the other compositions writ-
not only as a composer but also as a con- was dedicated to his friend Sonda and was ten by “minor” opera composers, there
sultant (but actually the director) of the composed almost certainly not in 1812, as are the Sestetto for oboe, two clarinets,
Liceo Musicale of Bologna. As a matter stated lately by the same Rossini. Divided horn and two bassoons by Giovanni
of fact, in 1841 he asked the singer Do- into two movements, (Andante and Al- Bolzoni (1841–1919); the Divertimento
menico Donzelli (1791–1873) to buy in legretto), this work with its brilliant and L’Ommaggio for flute, clarinet, trumpet,
Vienna new scores for the pupils of the pleasant writing style testifies to the great two violins, viola and double bass by
class of clarinet of his friend Domenico talent of the young Rossini in exploiting Gaetano Braga (1829–1907); the Solo
Liverani (1805–1877): the technical and expressive peculiarities for clarinet and other instruments by
‘‘You will ask any Maestro or of the four wind instruments. In ca. 1819 Michele Enrico Carafa (1787–1872);
connoisseur of music to select some he composed the Variazioni in Sib for clar- the Nonetto for oboe, clarinet, bassoon,
pieces for solo clarinet, clarinet and inet and orchestra, written for the profes- horn, piano and string quartet by Nicola
piano, trios, quartets, quintets, sep- sor of clarinet Alessandro Abate. From D’Arienzo (1842–1915); the 3 Fantasie
tets, etc. for wind instruments and a letter posted to Rossini written in Flor- op. 1–3 for clarinet and piano by di Raf-
strings. I have been said that there ence on the 29th March 1852 by the violin- faele Giannetti (1817–1872); the An-
are many good pieces composed ist Ferdinando Giorgetti (1796–1867), dante melanconico for clarinet and piano
by Mendelssohn; please be careful we know that the composer, ‘‘With true by Filippo Marchetti (1831–1902); the
about the choice of the pieces and modesty said that it is a thing done only Finaletto for flute, clarinet, horn, violin,
the money you are going to spend, for fun and to satisfy the wish of an old viola and cello by Francesco Morlacchi
because these pieces are for the friend.’’ This composition—today known (1784–1841); the Beatus Vir for soprano,
Liceo Comunale [...]. You do not with the title of Introduzione, Tema e obbligato clarinet and orchestra by Fer-
have to select solely pieces by Men- Variazioni—was composed when Rossini dinando Paer (1771–1839); the Sestetto
delssohn: all the composers will be was in Naples, reusing some of his pre- concertato for flute, two clarinets, two
good. Weber, for example, has com- vious operatic melodies. For instance, the horns and bassoon by Giacomo Panizza
posed beautiful pieces, and so did introductory Andante is based on the Air (1804–1860); the Preludio e Fuga for
many others [...].” La pace mia smarrita from Act II of the flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon by
opera Mosè in Egitto; while the variations Pietro Platania (1828–1907); the Ada-
During his studies he composed the are developed on the theme of the cava- gio obbligato for flute, clarinet, horn and
Variazioni a più istrumenti obbligati for tina Oh quante lagrime from Act I of the bassoon with orchestra by Ferdinando
concertante clarinet, two violins, viola, opera La donna del Lago; in the final coda Provesi (1770–1833); the Tema con vari-
cello and orchestra (1809) and the Vari- there is the development of the fragment azioni for clarinet and orchestra by Vit-
azioni a Clarinetto o Oboè with orchestra. which is at the end of the same cavatina. torio Trento (1861–1833); the Variazioni
The latter were composed around 1810, Published around 1822 by Cipriani of for clarinet and orchestra by Nicola Vac-
probably as a public experiment of coun- Florence, these variations were printed caj (1790–1848); the Sestetto for two
terpoint in the school of Mattei. In the also in Germany in 1825 by Breitkopf & flutes, two clarinets and two bassoons and
final section of the manuscript he wrote Härtel in Leipzig. In 1829 the Fantasia for the two Esercitazioni for two clarinets by
down some variations and arpeggios, clarinet and piano was published for the Nicola Zingarelli (1752–1837).
completely ignored by modern editions, first time in Milan by Ricordi and in Paris *****
while on the title page the word Oboé has by the sons of the publisher Schott. Ac- * This article is taken from my last
been lately erased. This last aspect is very cording to Ecudier brothers, this Solo de book: Il Clarinetto in Italia nell’Ottocento
important, and, if the variations were writ- Clarinette was composed and dedicated (The Clarinet in Italy in the 19th century),
ten by Rossini around 1810, probably this by Rossini to his friend Valentin de La- Perugia, Accademia Italiana del Clari-
composition was performed for the first
netto, 2009. Readers are urged to refer to
it for the notes and bibliographical abbre-
viations found in it.

Photo captions:
1) B. Asioli, Sestetto (Milan, Ricordi,
1818; I-Mc, I-Nc)
2) G. Donizetti, Piccola Composizione
(autograph manuscript; I-BGm)
3) S. Mercadante, Concerto op. 101
(autograph manuscript; I-Nc)
4) G. Rossini, Variazioni (Florence,
Cipriani, 1822 ca,; I-MOi)
5) G. Rossini, Variazioni in Do (auto-
graph manuscript, 1810; I-Bc)