Bernhard Crusell

Bernhard Henrik Crusell (born October 15, 1775 in Nystad , Finland, † July 28, 1838 in Stockholm ) was a Finnish clarinetist and composer .

At the age of 12 he became a clarinetist in a military band in Sveaborg . He later moved to Stockholm , where he became court musician in 1793. After a stay in Berlin, where he was tutored by Franz Tausch , he studied clarinet and composition at the Paris Conservatory in 1803 , with Abbé Vogler and Gossec , among others . After his return to the court orchestra in Stockholm, he made it there in 1818 as musical director of the two royal body grenadier regiments.

Crusell was an excellent clarinet soloist. He also translated the librettos of numerous operas into Swedish.

His very virtuoso compositions - mostly with or for the clarinet - are widely appreciated to this day, not least thanks to the commitment of the clarinetists Jost Michaels and Dieter Klöcker to Crusell's work. The compositions are committed to an early romantic sound ideal, full of original thematic ideas and bring Crusell's style closer to Weber .

Crusell wrote clarinet concerts, a Sinfonia concertante for clarinet, horn, bassoon and orchestra, quartets for clarinet with string instruments, clarinet duos , a quintet for oboe and string quartet, but also the opera Lilla Slafvinnan (Little Slave Girl) , as well as plays and songs.

Works (selection)

Opus 1 Clarinet Concerto in E flat major, Leipzig: A. Kühnel, 1811
Opus 2 Clarinet Quartet in E flat major, Leipzig: A. Kühnel, 1811
Opus 3 Concertante for clarinet, horn, bassoon and orchestra, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1816
Opus 4 Clarinet Quartet in C minor, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1817
Opus 5 Clarinet Concerto in F minor, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1817
Opus 6 Three clarinet duos, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1821
Opus 7 Clarinet Quartet in D major, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1823
Opus 8 Flute Quartet in D major (arrangement of Op. 7), Leipzig: CF Peters, 1823
Opus 9 Divertimento for oboe and strings, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1823
Opus 11 Clarinet Concerto in B flat major, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1829
Opus 12 Introduction et Air suédois, Leipzig: CF Peters, 1830
Opera "Die kleine Sklavin" ("Lilla slavinnan"), 1824
Concertino for bassoon and orchestra, 1829
numerous songs and choral movements

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Crusell, Bernhard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Crusell, Bernhard Henrik (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Finnish clarinetist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH	October 15, 1775
PLACE OF BIRTH	Nystad , Finland
DATE OF DEATH	July 28, 1838
Place of death	Stockholm