Advanced Clarinet Repertoire: Clarinet Book

This collection anchors itself in canonical clarinet literature from across the 18th and 19th centuries, giving advanced students access to the exact repertoire they'll encounter in examination syllabuses and performance opportunities. The inclusion of Paul Harris's performance notes transforms each piece from text on a page into a masterclass, addressing interpretive choices and technical considerations that secure examiners and adjudicators actually listen for.

You move through a landscape of classical elegance, romantic expression, and virtuosic brilliance. Mozart's writing sings with natural lyricism while demanding secure technique; Brahms and Saint-Saëns bring orchestral weight and harmonic richness to the instrument. These pieces demand both musical maturity and technical precision, rewarding performers who bring both in equal measure.

Advanced clarinet students working toward Grade 7 and 8 examinations across major exam boards will find this collection directly aligned with their syllabuses and own-choice requirements. Serious clarinet students preparing for competitive performance opportunities and conservatory auditions will also benefit from studying music that defines the advanced repertoire standard.

• Consult Harris's performance notes before your first reading. They identify the stylistic and technical landmarks in each piece and often flag passages that benefit from specific articulation or phrasing choices.
• Pay attention to dynamic shaping within sustained lines. Advanced repertoire of this era rewards subtle control of tone production across the dynamic spectrum rather than abrupt changes.
• Balance technical facility with musical purpose. Ornamental figures and passagework serve the harmonic and melodic arc; avoid allowing virtuosity to overshadow the line.
• Use slow passages and lyrical sections to refine your tone quality and intonation stability. These moments are where examiners and audiences assess your fundamental command of the instrument.

Use this collection as your primary source for exam preparation across the full Grades 7-8 range. Many pieces also work as recital repertoire either solo (with piano accompaniment sourced separately) or in chamber combinations, allowing students to perform their exam selections in concert settings before the formal assessment.

• Interpretation of classical, romantic, and 19th-century performance practice conventions
• Secure technique across advanced passagework and extended ranges
• Control of tone color and intonation in lyrical, expressive lines
• Phrasing and structural awareness in multimovement and song-form repertoire
• Stylistic distinction between composers and compositional periods