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Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.622 (1791), his final instrumental work, is the defining masterpiece of the clarinet repertoire.
First movement (Allegro, A major, sonata form)
Opens with a genial, singing orchestral theme in A major that radiates autumnal warmth. The solo clarinet enters with effortless lyricism, spinning long-breathed melodies of almost vocal purity. The development explores minor-key shadows without ever losing poise; the cadenza (Mozart left none, so Stadler’s or modern ones are used) is usually tender rather than virtuosic. Ends in serene sunshine.
Second movement (Adagio, D major, ternary form)
One of Mozart’s most transcendent slow movements: a single, unbroken melodic arch of heartbreaking simplicity over muted strings and gentle pulsation. The clarinet’s chalumeau register glows with ineffable calm; many consider this 5–6 minutes the emotional peak of the entire concerto.
Third movement (Rondo: Allegro, A major)
A sparkling, playful rondo that repeatedly returns to a skipping, hunt-inspired refrain. Five episodes allow the clarinet dazzling runs, leaps, and witty dialogues with the orchestra. The mood is buoyant, almost operatic (echoes of Papageno), and the work dances to a joyful close.
Overall character: intimate, radiantly melodic, poised between happiness and poignant farewell—Mozart at his most humane and technically refined, written for his friend Anton Stadler and the extended-range basset clarinet (modern performances usually on standard A clarinet with downward transpositions).
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