9 Duets

The clarinettist Irith Gabriely was inspired by her love of Barbara Heller’s Dialogues (for violin and viola) to arrange these duets for two Bb clarinets. The result is a set of varied concertante dialogues that present clarinettists with a few challenges, requiring stamina, breath control, intense and contrasting dynamics, chromatic passages, whole tone passages, sensitive tone production, leaps across wide intervals, fast playing, disciplined rhythmic control and listening to one another closely. In this edition all tempo indications and dynamic markings are intended for guidance: these duets may equally well be interpreted in other ways. This edition therefore also includes a second section where all the pieces are reproduced without such markings, ready for individual interpretation. The Dialogues lend themselves very well to chamber performances; they are also short enough to serve as brief interludes at readings or exhibitions. Their expressive qualities, brevity and range of musical and technical demands make them highly suitable material for youth music competitions. A flute or oboe might well be played with the clarinet as alternative instrumentation for these duets (ED 22017).