Gansbacher´s Clarinet Concerto in E flat minor

[terry martyn]

The Landesmuseen has sent to me two CDs of compositions mainly for woodwind. The first of these is entitled Concertino  (Musikmuseen 28) and contains three  spirited but fairly ordinary overtures,and some works for flute,clarinet,bassoon,and horn which are easy on the ears. The main work on this CD is a Clarinet Concerto by Martin Goller (whom I have never heard of) dating from around 1800, but this piece is Classical and outside our remit.
What I particularly wanted was the CD containing Gansbacher´s Clarinet Concerto, dating from 1819 (Musikmuseen23) and Dr Holzmann kindly sent it to me gratis. As I expected, Gansbacher has crossed the threshold into Romanticism. He was apparently, according to the booklet, a friend of Weber, but this work reminded me of Spohr at his most sedate. Surely the third movement, entitled Tempo di Polonaise, should have been performed with more attack?
This second CD contains the Baermann Adagio (formerly attributed to Wagner) which is lovingly performed. It also includes some modern works, the longest being a composition " Vitus Dance"  by Michael Huber, yes, the same guy who orchestrated Rufinatscha´s Third. It lives up to its name.

[eschiss1]

hopefully not by being excessively saintly.

[terry martyn]

Definitely not.  It is a diabolical,discordant,romp.