Weber wrote his Concertino for clarinet and orchestra in E flat major (1811) for Heinrich Bärmann, one of the most accomplished clarinetists of the day. As the instrument was relatively new, Weber's works for the clarinet broke new ground by affording it a new measure of prominence and displaying its wide-ranging capabilties for both expressivity and virtuosic display.

The Concertino consists of three short movements that conform to the traditional organization of the solo concerto: Adagio ma non troppo, Andante, and Allegro. It opens with a tragic song for the clarinet that resembles nothing so much as an opera aria; indeed, the most notable aspect of the work is perhaps the distinctively vocal manner in which Weber uses the clarinet. From this starting point Weber spins increasingly elaborate variations that eventually make their way back to the original gloomy mood.

The success of the premiere, given in the presence (and at the request) of the King of Bavaria, was such that the king commissioned from Weber two full-scale clarinet concerti; these works, together with the Concertino, remain pioneering efforts in the history of the instrument as well as cornerstones of its repertoire.

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