Clair II
Clarinet and large ensemble
Composed:
2021
Score / parts
Instrumentation and duration
Clarinet and large ensemble: 1.1.1.1/1.0.0.0., Str. (1.1.1.1.1.)
Duration: 16 minutes
Commission / dedications
Commissioned by the Seinäjoki City Orchestra. Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen
First performance
Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, the Seinäjoki City Orchestra, Seinäjoki hall, Seinäjoki, Finland, September 16, 2021
Reflections
Interview: "New works for clarinet and guitar by Markku Klami", published on Rondo by Kimmo Korhonen
Original interview on Rondo, published by Kimmo Korhonen
Composer's Notes
Clair II has been in the making for quite some time. Back in 2012, Lauri Sallinen commissioned and premiered my work Clair sketches for clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet in his debut concert at The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. During the composition process of Clair sketches I ended up having a bunch of material that didn't make it to the final piece. Five years later in 2017, some of that extra material, combined with the material from Clair sketches served as a basis for a new work, Clair, for the same ensemble, now with the addition of optional dancers. Clair was premiered in 2017 by Lauri Sallinen, Henrik Sandås and the Nordlyd String Quartet from Oslo, Norway at Kaivos Festival in Outokumpu, Finland.
Some years later Lauri proposed an idea to arrange Clair for a bigger ensemble, namely the core ensemble of The Seinäjoki City Orchestra, composed of a wind quintet and a string quintet. This intriguing idea led to a commission from The Seinäjoki City Orchestra. What begun as an arrangement project turned out to be a new work, Clair II for clarinet and large ensemble. Clair II combines material from both Clair sketches and Clair, with completely new material added to the whole.
Clair II was composed in late 2020 and the beginning of 2021 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The original premiere date planned for January 2021 had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic regulations. Lauri Sallinen premiered the work with The Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021, at the Seinäjoki Hall in Seinäjoki, Finland.
My warmest thanks to Lauri for his collaboration with this and many earlier works of mine and to The Seinäjoki City Orchestra for the commission.