Laid against the historical background, the clarinet concerto is quite exceptional: there really aren’t such works, as there are for the piano, violin or guitar...

Laid against the historical background, the clarinet concerto is quite exceptional: there really aren’t such works, as there are for the piano, violin or guitar composed by virtuoso master clarinetists. One has to truly love the clarinet to as little as hear of such composers as Backofen, Yost, or Bärmann. But interest in the clarinet doesn’t wane, and concerto works for this instrument continue to be written by, amongst others, Jean Francaix (1912-97) and Marek Podkowa (Orexis), here receiving its world premiere recording beside Mozart’s clarinet masterpiece.