Clarinet Excerpts in Context: Duets for Ensemble Mastery

This edition consists of excerpts from six orchestral works (and one bonus chamber music work) arranged for clarinet duet:

Beethoven Symphony No. 4 - Movement II (Adagio)
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 - Movements I and II
Beethoven Symphony No. 8 - Movement III
Brahms Symphony No. 3 - Movements I and II
Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol - Movements I and III
Brahms Sonata No. 2 in E-flat Major - Movement I

(Two of the excerpts are scored for three clarinets.)

From the introduction:

"It is hard to grasp the full scope of a solo without playing it in the context of its intended instrumentation. [...] In the case of orchestral literature, few aspiring clarinetists will have the chance to play standard solos and duets in an orchestra even once prior to embarking on the audition process. At the same time, in any music school there are always plenty of clarinetists wandering the halls. Clarinet Excerpts in Context is intended to address and capitalize on these realities."

"Practicing isolated bits of music relentlessly with the sole goal of precision and consistency is artistically unsatisfying, and it might stifle musicality over time. [...] My hope is that Clarinet Excerpts in Context will make practicing more productive and enjoyable, provide a tool for teachers to use with students, and generally help in the cultivation of well-rounded musicians."

"The goal of these duets is not to be as literal as possible, but rather to be as useful as possible. I have tried to include those aspects of the accompaniment that will best inform the solo line, or which present the greatest ensemble challenges."

The first clarinet part is always the solo clarinet line exactly as it appears in the score, and the second clarinet part is designed to instill the accompaniment in the mind of the student.