It is doubtful whether Weber's sparkling Quintet for clarinet and strings would have come into existence had the composer had not counted among his friends Frederick Baermann, one of the preeminent clarinet virtuosi of the day. No doubt inspired by Baermann's extraordinary skill on the instrument, Weber produced in the Quintet one of his most charismatic works for the clarinet, and one of the most technically demanding. The Quintet is far more than a mere vehicle for virtuosic exhibitionism; the clarinet, in fact, provides a sort of intricate embroidery for the ensemble rather than assuming a truly leading role. Still, in terms of its prominence, the instrument must be regarded as first among equals in this fancifully Romantic work.

After a meditative opening the mood quickly lightens. The slow movement, a Fantasia, wanders pensively through shadowy groves of melody, at last fading away with a poetic dimineuendo al fine. The Minuetto capriccio is full of good humor, ending with a jokey phrase that somehow forgets to bring the movement to a close. The final movement, a Rondo and galop full of dancing gaiety, returns again and again to a devilish little phrase marked by a breathless flurry of notes.



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