4 Duets for Clarinet

Luigi Bassi (1833-1871), composer and clarinetist, was born in Cremona in 1833.

The present publication intends to make known the valuable collection of Four Duets for soprano clarinets which is rarely performed. The publication is dated 1861 and was produced by the Ricordi publishing house in Milan. Each duet is structured in two movements and is written in concertante form with a virtuosity that is well distributed between the two clarinets.

From a reading of the scores and from their execution, Bassi's profound knowledge of the instrumental potential of the clarinet is revealed, but also his valuable talent in composing beautiful melodies. This editoin, through a careful choice of the articulations and dynamics, has tried to highlight the melodic lines and the virtuosic figurations, paying particular attention to the dialogue and the passages of the phrase between the two clarinets.

Luigi Bassi's Quattro Duetti, due to their relevant technical and musical characteristics, occupy a respectable place in the chamber repertoire for clarinet and constitute a particularly useful and interesting didactic material that can be used in conservatories and music schools.

Includes separate parts for Clarinet 1 and Clarinet 2, but no score.