Composers ‘Saved Their Best for Last’

The last instrumental work that Mozart finished before he died was his Clarinet Concerto. Schubert’s last work was “Der Hirt auf dem Felsen” (The Shepherd on the Rock) for soprano, piano--and clarinet. Near the end of his life, Brahms turned to the clarinet for his Clarinet Quintet and two clarinet sonatas. Saint-Saens, Poulenc and Nielsen also wrote important works for clarinet shortly before they died.

So the question arises:

Clarinet--gateway to heaven, or instrument of death?

“I’d like to think that they all thought of the clarinet so dearly, they saved their best for last,” said James Kanter, principal clarinetist of the Pacific Symphony.

Actually, he added, “I don’t know about Schubert, and I wouldn’t hope to pass myself off as a musicologist, but I know that Mozart and Brahms became acquainted with excellent clarinetists toward the end of their lives, which inspired them to write those works.

“And neither knew he was at end of his life. If we all knew when we were going to die, maybe there would be some significance to the last things we did.

“I think it’s just coincidental. But we’re certainly honored and blessed with the works they left us, and clarinetists have been repaying that debt of gratitude ever since. I think every clarinetist in the world, if given a choice to play any five works, four out of five would be Brahms and Mozart.

“The fifth,” he added with a chuckle, “would be ‘Darktown Strutters’ Ball.’ ”