Sometimes you just need a list of the best ensembles to work through and know that you have mastered the clarinet by some standard. Some of these are simple in beauty yet challenging to accomplish, either way, here are the best of the best ensembles in my estimation. If you have conquered these you are ready for a career with the clarinet.
Below you will find a list of selected ensembles for the clarinet. This list is in no way comprehensive. It is merely a listing of some better-known ensembles. For a more comprehensive list, a good source to consult is the UIL (University Interscholastic League) Prescribed Music List published by The University of Texas. Please feel free to contact me for further suggestions or information regarding ensemble music selection. Best Wishes!
Pieces are listed as follows: Instrumentation / Title / Composer / Publisher.
Beginning Clarinet
- 2 cl. / 20 Easy Progressive Duets / Lazarus / Carl Fischer
- 2 cl. / Selected Duets, Volume I / Voxman / Rubank
- 2 cl. / Fifty Progressive Duets, Op. 80 / Kueffner / Carl Fischer
- trios / EverybodyÆs Favorite Collection / J. Arnold / Amsco
- mixed trio / Chamber Music for Three Woodwinds, Vol. I / Voxman / Rubank
- 4 cl. / Ensemble Class, Book I / Voxman / Rubank
- WW Quintet / Arbean Suite for Woodwind Quintet / Weston
- fl/ob/cl/bn / Allegro Brilliant / J. C. Bach / Carl Fischer
Intermediate Clarinet
- 2 cl. / Selected Duets, Volumes I and II / Voxman / Rubank
- 2 cl. / Violin Duets, Op. 32 / Dancla / Schirmer
- 2 cl. / Inventions / Bach/Luisetti
- 2 cl. / 3 Progressive Duets (No. 1 and2) / Crusell /
- 3 cl. / Clarinet Trios from Corelli to Beethoven / arr. Rosenthal / Belwin /
- 3 cl. / Clarinet Trios from 18th Century / arr. Rosenthal / Belwin
- 3 cl. / Clarinet Trios from Russian Comp. / arr. Rosenthal / Belwin
- 3 cl. / Eight Clarinet Trios / Weston / G. Schirmer
- 3 cl. / Five Trios / Handel/Voxman / Rubank
- 3 cl. / Larghetto and Allegro / Mozart/Voxman / / Rubank
- 3 and 4 cl. / Clarinet Sessions / Cassel-Gehrhart / / Words and Music
- 4 cl. / Duets for 2 Violins (enough double stops for 4 clarinets to play) / Dancla / Schirmer
- 4 cl. / Violin Duets, Op. 66 / Dancla / Schirmer
- 4 cl. / Ensemble Classics for Clarinet, Books I and II / Himie Voxman / Rubank
- cl & fl or ob. / Duos Concertante (3rd series) / Gambaro, Mozart, Bach, Handel / Andraud
- cl & fl. or ob. / Duos Concertante (1st series) / Bach, Handel, Mozart / Andraud
- cl & fl. or ob. / Duos Concertante (2nd series) / Mozart, Kummer, Bach, Handel / Andraud
- mixed trio / Chamber Music for Three / Voxman / Rubank / Woodwinds, Vol. II
- fl/ob/cl / 15 Three Part Inventions / Bach
- fl/ob/cl / Four London Trios / Haydn
- fl/ob/cl/bn / Classic Pieces for Small Ensembles / Andraud
- WW Quintet / Andante Cantabile (fr. String Quartet, Op. 11) / Tchaikovsky / Carl Fischer
- WWQuintet / 22 Woodwind Quintets (Intermediate and Advanced) / Southern
Advanced Clarinet
- 2 cl. / Duets in Method for Clarinet, Part 3 / Lazarus / Carl Fischer
- 2 cl. / Virtuoso Duos in Complete Method for Clar., Part III / Langenus / Carl Fischer
- 2 cl. / Duo No.2 in C Major / Crusell / Sikorski
- 2 cl. / Five Duos (2 books) / Fritz Kroepsch / Belwin Mills
- A & Bb cl. / Sonate for Two Clarinets / Francis Poulenc / Chester
- 2 cl/pno / Concertpiece #1, Op. 113 / Felix Mendelssohn / International
- 2 cl/pno / Concertpiece #2, Op. 114 / Felix Mendelssohn / International
- 3 cl. / Five Pieces for Three Clarinets / Takacs / Universal /
- 3 cl. / Trios, Op. 24, 53, and 59 / Kummer / Cundy-Bettoney
- 3 cl. / Grand Trio for Clarinets / Bouffil / Billaudot
- 3 cl. / Six Trios, Op. 7 and 8 / Bouffil / Billaudot
- 4 cl. / Suite Italienne / Yvonne Desportes / Southern
- 4 cl. / Normandie / Yvonne Desportes / Southern
- 4 cl. / French Suite / Yvonne Desportes / Southern
- 2 cl/bn / Divertimenti #1,2,3,4,5,6 / Mozart / Musica Rara/Breitkopf
- ob/cl/bn / Cinq Pieces en Trio / Jacques Ibert
- WWQuintet / Trois Pieces Breves / Jacques Ibert / Southern
Clarinet Choir
- / Bear Dance / Bartok/Schmidt
- / Menuetto and Rondo, Op. 71 / Beethoven/Schmidt
- / Ballet from Petite Suite / Debussy/Howland
- / Cortege from Petite Suite / Debussy/Howland
- / En Bateau from Petite Suite / Debussy/Howland
- / Minuet from Petite Suite / Debussy/Howland
- / Introduction and Rondo / Jacob
- / Chrysanthemum / Joplin/Schmidt
- / Overture to the Marriage of Figaro / Mozart/Caillet
- / Andante Cantabile / Tchaikovsky/Hovey
Sources for Clarinet Music
- Eble Music / P. O. Box 2570, Iowa City, IA 52244-2570 / 319.338.0313
- Luyben Music / 4318 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111-1897 / 816.753.7111
- Woodwind Service, Inc. / P. O. Box 206, Medfield, MA 02052 / 800.527.6647