Grand Duo Concertante for Clarinet and Piano op. 48 J204 1st Movement in Allegro con fuoco
German composer Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) was an influential icon in the Romantic Era, a period between the 18th and 19th century in which personal expression, literary ideas and emotions reached its apogee. Weber was a composer, conductor and an expert pianist and was renowned for his works in opera, compositions for piano and compositions for woodwind instruments. His clarinet compositions which include two concertos, a concertino, a quintet, variations on a theme and a duo concertante, are performed even today. The clarinet developed in Weber’s time to play more notes and to play scale passages more smoothly, and also developed from a band instrument into a
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He gave up studying law to take on a career as a virtuoso pianist, but a hand injury prevented him to pursue his dream to become the finest pianist in Europe. He then invested all his time and effort to compose. Schumann at first composed solely for piano until 1840, after which he composed for piano and orchestra in his later years. His works included: four symphonies, many Lieder, an opera, concerto and other choral, chamber and orchestral works. Schumann 's remarkable skill to express delicate and profound emotions is evident in works such as his collection of short piano pieces, Phantasiestücke (Fantastic Pieces) and in the song cycle Dichterliebe.
The Phantasiestücke, Op. 73 was written by Schumann over a period of two days in February 1849, originally composed for clarinet and piano. The title supports the typical Romantic notion of emphasizing the composer’s creative expression and imagination. The work is divided into three individual pieces of contrasting moods, but is regarded as a cycle of poetic pieces unified harmonically and by being played without