“A cantabile main theme and a burlesque counterpart – flute parts and solo violins emerge from the Impressionist sound carpet to form a dialogue with the soloist.”
– Rems-Zeitung, May 16th, 2017

The clarinet concert “Impressions” was written in the summer of 2000 and was premiered as laureate of the composing competition within the framework of the 3^rd national music festival in Friedrichshafen of the Rundfunkblasorchester Leipzig. Here, I am presenting the piece with two different possible instrumentations: for solo-clarinet or solo-flute, both versions accompanied by a symphonic orchestra.

The work is formally inspired by the three movements of a classical concert, however, performs these within one single movement; the virtuoso cadence of the solo instrument is composed. The language of tone is Romantic-Impressionistic and wants to paint its pictures – impressions – with all the possible range of colours of the solo instrument and all the facets the orchestra has to offer. A great role is appointed to the contrast and, at the same time, dialogue of musical characters.

I was inspired to write “Impressions” by a stay in the South of France. With its mountains, rivers and its Mediterranean flair, the Provence has left a lasting impression on me. The piece wants to take players, as well as listeners, on a journey through the colourful landscape full of scent and invites them to let sounds turn into pictures. Nonetheless, “Impressions” is not a programmatic piece of music.

The orchestration consists of: 2fl./2ob./2cl(in Bb)/2bs./2cor(F)/Timp./strings and is of easy - intermediate difficulty. The solo part is challenging, for practise or for chamber music performances, a piano score is available.

For a performance under my direction, I have alternatively written a version for solo flute, instead of the original solo clarinet, which I consider equivalent to the original. Furthermore, I offer extra parts for bass clarinet, 2 tenor horns in Bb, trumpet in C, 2 trombones and orchestra piano, so that a performance with flexible orchestration is possible! Please contact me if you are interested in the version for solo flute or additional parts.

Recorded live at the first concert of the symphonic youth orchestra  Junge Gmünder Symphoniker in May 2017.  Solo-Clarinet: Claudia Langenbucher, conducted by: Thomas M. J. Schäfer.

Sample Score - Buy Sheet Music

For a sample score and the possibility to acquire sheet music of Impressionen  please visit the website of Edition Svitzer.

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