Concert Piece: 2 Clarinets & Piano Book

Mendelssohn's duets for clarinet sit at the intersection of genuine compositional substance and genuine playability. These pieces reward careful attention to phrasing and blend without requiring the virtuosic extremes that make some Romantic clarinet music inaccessible at the secondary level; they're sophisticated enough for college-preparatory clarinetists and rewarding enough to program on recitals where you want serious music, not filler.

Mendelssohn's duets unfold with the grace and architectural clarity of a well-crafted conversation. The writing is lyrical and songlike, with moments of gentle contrapuntal interplay that highlight the complementary colors two clarinets can produce, all supported by a piano part that's both elegant and engaged.

Advanced high school clarinetists preparing for all-state or college auditions, and college music majors seeking standard duet repertoire with genuine artistic depth. Teachers looking for Romantic-era clarinet literature that develops both technical control and mature musicianship will find these pieces invaluable.

• Balance the two clarinet lines as equal conversational partners; resist the urge to let the upper part dominate simply because it sits higher.
• Work closely with your pianist on the tempo and character from the start. The piano parts are integral to the harmonic and rhythmic foundation, not merely supportive.
• Shape phrases across the barline rather than resetting at each measure, allowing the melodic contours to breathe naturally.
• Attend to Mendelssohn's dynamic markings and articulation patterns with precision. His notation is purposeful and creates the piece's essential character.

Program these duets on recitals that trace Romantic chamber music, pairing them with string duets or other woodwind pairs to show the era's fascination with intimate ensemble textures. They work equally well as competition pieces or as concert material for advanced middle school duos ready to step beyond pedagogical arrangements into genuine repertoire.

• Balance and blend in duet texture
• Phrasing across phrase boundaries and bar lines
• Coordination with a collaborative pianist
• Reading and interpreting Romantic-era articulation and dynamic markings
• Sustaining lyrical character while maintaining technical precision