Clarinet Concerto (Zwilich)

The Clarinet Concerto is a work composed for solo clarinet accompanied by an orchestra, created by the American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. This piece was commissioned by the Arlene and Dr. Milton D. Berkman Philanthropic Fund specifically for clarinetist David Shifrin, to whom the concerto is dedicated. Its first performance took place on September 12, 2003, featuring Shifrin alongside twelve musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Alice Tully Hall.

Composition

By the autumn of 2001, Zwilich had completed initial drafts for the concerto’s opening movements and was starting work on the second movement when the September 11 attacks occurred. In response, she reworked this section into a memorial piece entitled "Elegy: September 11." The entire concerto spans approximately 28 minutes and is structured in four movements, with only the second movement bearing a specific title.

Instrumentation

The scoring calls for a solo clarinet supported by a modest orchestra comprising flute, oboe, bassoon, two horns, cornet, percussion instruments, and strings.

Reception

Peter G. Davis, writing for New York, observed that Zwilich’s concerto was deeply influenced by the events of September 11, commending its masterful development and expressive intensity.

In 2023, a 2012 recording of the work performed by Chamber Music Northwest with clarinetist David Shifrin was honored by inclusion in the United States National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, recognized as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."