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The Big List of Contrabass Clarinet Albums (with playlist)

It’s no secret that there is not much repertoire for the BB♭ contrabass clarinet (although, that list is growing!), and there is even less recorded material. I set out to compile a list of albums with recordings that feature the instrument, but I must admit that when I began this project, I did not expect to find nearly 70 albums! (EDIT Oct. 2021- now over 80 albums!)

I didn’t include ensemble recordings that merely use a contrabass clarinet, but rather focussed on solo and chamber works and the couple larger ensemble pieces where the contrabass clarinet is a solo instrument. I am also limiting this particular list to composed music following in the classical music tradition (which then happens to exclude one of my own albums!), but this distinction is not always so clear. You’ll notice a few player-composers such as Terje Lerstad, John McCowen, Lori Freedman, Jean-François Charles, Aviva Endean, and Colin Stetson, most of whom also have very close ties to improvisation, which can be sensed in their compositions. Other players such as Armand Angster, Michel Portal, Jacques di Donato, and Theo Nabicht are also well known as improvisers and jazz players, blurring the definition of “composed” and “classical” even further. I’ll endeavor to make another list with improvised and song-based music in the future (which I actually think will be an even bigger task!)

And while the Internet Age is changing the concept of the album and how music is “released” and consumed, I took a more traditional approach to this list and am limiting it to commercially available recordings. Some are available in a digital format only, but I have not included those available only on Soundcloud or YouTube. Perhaps I’ll also do another list of “unreleased” recordings in the future.

You’ll notice some recurring pieces in the repertoire, notably Grisey’s Anubis et Nout, Donatoni’s Ombra, and Scelsi’s Maknongan (which isn’t even specifically for contrabass clarinet, but any low instrument) for solo pieces, as well as Luigi Nono’s opera Prometeo, which I’ve included because there are several movements that feature the contrabass clarinet. Most of the albums include only a few tracks for contrabass clarinet amongst other works for clarinets or by the composer, however there are a select few contra-only CDs by Sebastian Borsch, Theo Nabicht, John McCowen, Santi Mabad, and Sarah Watts.

The list is in chronological order of album release. I have tried to include as many recordings as I could find, and I was delighted to discover many more pieces than I knew of before, but I’m sure the list is still not exhaustive. I am happy to update and include ones I may have missed, so please mention anything in the comments!

A playlist of available tracks can be heard on Spotify, or in a couple cases other online services. When possible I have also provided links where the music can be purchased. I receive absolutely nothing from this, but hope that if you enjoy the music you’ll support the artists by buying the tracks or albums.

The Hoffnung Music Festival Concert (1956)

E. O. Pogson and Reginald Tritton, contrabass clarinets

Tracks:

Gordon Jacob- Variations on ‘Anna Laurie’, for two piccolos, heckelphone, two contrabass clarinets, two contrabassoons, serpent, contrabass serpent, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy, and subcontrabass tuba

Woodlawn Sr. High Concert Band: Woodwinds Brasswinds Percussion (1962)

Donald McCathren, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • A4 Afro, solo for contrabass clarinet and band accompaniment (Alfred Reed)

Vinko Globokar: Echanges / Res/As/Ex/Ins-Pirer / Discours IV (1978)

Jacques Di Donato, Jacques Noureddine, Michel Portal, contrabass clarinets, bass clarinets, and clarinets

Tracks:

Daan Manneke: Ruimten (1982)

Harry Spaarnay, contrabass clarinet and bass clarinet

Tracks:

  • B2. Gesti

7 Per Petrassi – Festival Fontino Di Musica 1984 (1986)

Harry Sparnaay, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • B1. Anubis-Nout  (G. Grisey)

Franco Donatoni: Spiri, Eco, Ombra, Diario, Lame (1986)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 3. Ombra I
  • 4. Ombra II

La Biennale Di Venezia: Nuova Atlantide (1986)

Ciro Scarponi, contrabass clarinet; Roberto Fabbriciani, bass flute

Tracks:

  • D3. A Pierre Dell’Azzurro Silenzio, Inquietum (L. Nono)

Pascal Dusapin: Musiques Solistes (1987)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet; Ensemble Accroche Note

Tracks:

Marc Monnet: Pièces célibataires (1992)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Georges Aperghis: Simulacres (1992)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet; Françoise Kubler, soprano

Tracks:

Ton Bruynèl: Looking Ears 1 (1993)

Harry Spaarnay, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Ensemble Mobile: Neue Schweizer Werke (1993)

Elmar Schmid, contrabass clarinet; Christoph Schiller, viola

Tracks:

Hans Ulrich Lehmann: Kammermusik (1993)

Elmar Schmid, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Oliver Knussen: Songs Without Voices op 26. Whitman Settings op 25. Hums and Songs of Winnie the Pooh op 6. Variations op 24  (1993)

Dennis Smylie, contrabass clarinet

Hums and Songs of Winnie-the-Pooh, op.6

  • 9. Inscription
  • 10. Hum
  • 11. The Hundred Acre Wood (Nocturne) – Piglet Meets A Heffalump
  • 12. Hum, Continued, And Little Nonsense Song
  • 13. Hum (Instrumental)
  • 14. Vocalise (Climbing The Tree)
  • 15. Codetta
  • 16. Bee Piece And Cadenza (The Fall of Pooh)
  • 17. Cloud Piece

Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado: Prometheus- The Myth in Music (1994)

Manfred Preis, contrabass clarinet; Michael Hasel, bass flute

Tracks:

Prometeo Suite (1992) excerpts

Das Klarinettenduo: Betz, Blank, Glynn, Hamary, Stahmer (1995)

David Smeyers, contrabass clarinet; Beate Zelinsky, clarinet

Tracks:

  • 3. Andras Hamary- Grafitti
  • 5. Stephan Betz- Sprache Ist K-eine Handlung

Wim Mertens: Gave van Niets Part II- Divided Loyalties (1995)

Dirk Descheemaeker, contrabass clarinet, E♭ clarinet, B♭ clarinet, and bass clarinet

Tracks:

Daily Duties:

  • 1-1. It Serves You Right
  • 1-2. What’s Mine is Yours
  • 1-3. Letter of Intent
  • 1-4. Quotable Lines

Donald Martino: Notturno (1995)

Leslie Thimmig, contrabass clarinet; Anand Devendra, clarinet; Dennis Smylie, bass clarinet; Group for Contemporary Music; Harvey Solberger, conductor

Tracks:

Luigi Nono: Prometeo. Tragedia Dell’Ascolto (1995)

Wolfgang Styi, contrabass clarinet; Dietmar Wiesner, bass flute; Ensemble Modern; Solistenchor Freiburg

Tracks:

  • 1-1. I. Prologo
  • 1-3: IIIa. Isola Seconda: Io – Prometeo
  • 1-4. IIIb. Isola Secona: Hölderin
  • 2-3. V. Tre voci (A)

Giacinto Scelsi: The Complete Works for Clarinet (1997)

David Smeyers, clarinet

Tracks:

Experimentalstudio: 25 Years Freiburg (1998)

Uwe Möckel, contrabass clarinet; Lucas Fels, cello; Françoise Rivalland, cimbalom; Christian Dierstein, percussion; Klaus Steffes-Holländer, piano; Mark André, electronics

CD 2 Tracks:

  • 1. Ab II, For Contrabass Clarinet, Cello, Cymbalon, Percussion, Piano & Live Electronics (André)

Musik in Deutschland 1950-2000, Sprachkomposition (2001)

Michel Portal, contrabass clarinet; Linda Vickermann, soprano; Karlheinz Böttner, double bass; Klaus Heitz, cello; Jean-Pierre Drouet, percussion; Ray Krueger, tuba

Tracks:

Terje Lerstad: Lyrical Punk Clarinet- Norwegian Clarinet Music (2002)

Terje Lerstad, clarinets; Tore Dingstad, piano

Tracks:

Olga Neuwirth: Clinamen / Nodus; Construction in Space (2002)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet; Klangforum Wien; Emilio Pomàrico

Tracks:

Gérard Grisey: Solo pour deux, Anubis-nout, Stèle, Charme & Tempus ex machina (2005)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Elena Mendoza: Nebelsplitter (2005)

Christian Vogel, contrabass clarinet; Ensemble Mosaik

Tracks:

Accroche Note: Récital 1 (2007)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 1. Chu, for soprano, clarinet, and cello (J. Harvey)

Luigi Nono: Prometeo. Tragedia Dell’Ascolto (2007)

Ulrich Schneider, contrabass clarinet; Martin Fahlenbock, flute; Ensemble Recherche; Solistenchor Freiburg

Tracks:

  • 1-1. I. Prologo
  • 1-3: IIIa. Isola Seconda: Io – Prometeo
  • 1-4. IIIb. Isola Secona: Hölderin
  • 2-3. V. Tre voci (A)

Shaun Naidoo: Fiat Lux- Selected ElectroAcoustic Works 1996-2007 (2007)

Philip O’Connor, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 13. Ballad of the Cells, for contrabass clarinet & electronics

Rolf Riehm: aprikosenbäume gibt es, aprikosenbäume gibt es (2008)

Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet; Ensemble Ascolta

Tracks:

  • 1. aprikosenbäume gibt es, aprikosenbäume gibt es

Luigi Nono: Das Atmende Klarsein (2008)

Ciro Scarponi, contrabass clarinet; Roberto Fabbriciani, bass flute; Monika Bair-Ivenz and PetraHoffmann, sopranos; Solistenchor Freiburg, choir; André Richard, conductor

Tracks:

Lori Freedman: Bridge (2009)

Lori Freedman, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Sebastian Borsch: Keyworks- Musik für Kontrabassklarinette (2009)

Sebastian Borsch, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 1. Anubis (G. Grisey)
  • 2. Nout (G. Grisey)
  • 3. Maknongan (G. Scelsi)
  • 4. Golem (G. Colombo-Taccani)
  • 5. Ombra I (F. Donatoni)
  • 6. Ombra II (F. Donatoni)
  • 7. Flux (E. Eyser)
  • 8. Piece pour Violon et Clarinette (C. Vivier)

John Cage: The Works for Saxophone 3 & 4 (2010)– Ulrich Krieger

Andreas Schmucker, bass and contrabass clarinet; Klaus Schöpp, bass and contrabass flute; Ulrich Krieger, bass and contrabass saxophone

Tracks:

Gordon Kampe: Gassenhauer (2011)

Carl Rosman, contrabass clarinet; Eva Zöllner, accordion; John Eckhardt, double bass; Mark Knoop, piano

Tracks:

  • 1. HAL

MusikFabrik: unerwartet: unexpected (2011)

Carl Rosman, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 8. Interference, for solo contrabass clarinet, voice and pedal bass drum (Richard Barrett)

Yann Robin: Vulcano; Art of Metal I, III (2012)

Alain Billard, contrabass clarinet; Ensemble InterContemporain; Susanna Mälkki, conductor

Tracks:

Luigi Nono: A Pierre: Dell’azzurro silenzio, inquietum / Sofferte onde serene / Omaggio a György Kurtág / Con Luigi Dallapiccola (2013)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet; Roberto Fabbriciani, bass flute

Tracks:

Johannes Schöllhorn: Clouds and Sky (2013)

Gareth Davis, contrabass clarinet; JACK Quartet

Tracks:

Annesley Black: No Use In A Centre(2013)

Ernesto Molinari and Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 3. Tender Pink Descender (2009)

Das Klarinettenduo: Clarinet Counterpoints (2013)

David Smeyers, contrabass clarinet; Beate Zelinsky, clarinet

Tracks:

Du Silence: From Dusk to Dawn (2014)

Daniel Schröder, contrabass clarinet and bass clarinet

Tracks:

Grisey: Anubis, Nout – Two Pieces for Contrabass Clarinet (2014)

Carl Rosman, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 1. Anubis (1983)
  • 2. Nout (1983)

Donatoni: Ombra – Two Pieces for Contrabass Clarinet (2014)

Carl Rosman, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 1. Ombra- I (1984)
  • 2. Ombra- II (1984)

Miklós Sugár: Pulsations (2014)

Antal Babits, contrabass clarinet; Csaba Klenyan, clarinet; Istvan Horvath, electronics

Tracks:

Rolf Riehm: Lenz in Moskau, Im Nachtigallental, Ton für Ton & Au bord d’une source (2015)

Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 3. Ton für Ton (Weiße Straßen Babylons)

Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld: Never Were the Way She Was (2015)

Colin Stetson, contrabass clarinet; Sarah Neufeld, violin

Tracks:

Lene Grenager: Smilodon (2015)

Rolf Borch, contrabass clarinet; Arctic Philharmonic Sinfonietta; Peter Szilvay, conductor

Tracks:

Experimentalstudio: 40 Years Anthology, vol. 1 (2015)

Elmar Schmid, contrabass clarinet; Johannes Nied, Käthi Steuri, double basses

Tracks:

Experimentalstudio: 40 Years Anthology, vol. 2 (2015)

Elmar Schmid, contrabass clarinet; Collegium Novum Zürich

Tracks:

Armand Angster: Solo Clarinet (2016)

Armand Angster, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Gordon Kampe: Arien/Zitronen (2017)

Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson, contrabass clarinet; Andreas Voss, cello; Ruth Velten, saxophone; Till Künkler, trombone; Ensemble I.C.E.Q.

Tracks:

Knapp for contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone, trombone, and cello

Bruno Bonansea & Nicolas Nageotte: No Parking (2017)

Nicolas Nageotte, contrabass clarinet; Bruno Bonansea, clarinet

Tracks:

Colin Stetson: All This I Do For Glory (2017)

Colin Stetson, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

John McCowen: Solo Contra (2017)

John McCowen, contrabass Clarinet

Tracks:

Uli Fussenegger: San Teodoro 8 (2018)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet, Mike Svoboda, trombone; Martin Siewert, guitar and devices; Uli Fussenegger, double bass and tape

Tracks:

Christopher Fox: Headlong (2018)

Heather Roche, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Hugo Queirós: Time and Motion (2018)

Hugo Queirós, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Hanna Hartman: Gattet (2018)

Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  1. Black Bat

Ensemble LUX:NM: Strandgut (2018)

Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet; Andrea Voss, cello; Ruth Velten, baritone saxophone; Florian Juncker, trombone

Tracks:

Knapp for contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone, trombone, and cello (Gordon Kampe)

Petra Stump-Linshalm: Fantasy Studies (2018)

Heinz-Peter Linshalm, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Uisge Beatha [ɯʃkʲe ‘bɛha] – A Guide To Flavours for solo contrabass clarinet

Lori Freedman: Solor (2018)

Lori Freedman, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Jean-François Charles: Electroclarinet (2018)

Jean-François Charles, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Octavian Nemescu: Musique Pour Réveil 3 (Around The Throne) (2018)

Emil Vișenescu, contrabass clarinet; Ștefan Voinic, bass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 4. Parallel Destinies

Markus Lehman-Horn: Solo Works (2018)

Stefan Schneider, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Tobias Klein: Chambery (2018)

Fie Schouten and Jelte Althuis, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Aviva Endean: cinder : ember : ashes (2018)

Aviva Endean, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Ronald Šebesta: Classic Malts (2018)

Ronald Šebesta, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

John McCowen: Mundanas I-V (2019)

John McCowen and Madison Greenstone, contrabass clarinets

Tracks:

Luigi Nono: Prometeo- Tragedia Dell’Ascolto (2019)

Roberta Gottardi, contrabass clarinet; Giulio Francesconi, bass flute; Ensemble Prometeo

Tracks:

Heinz Holliger and György Kurtag: Zweigespräche (2019)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet; Heinz Holliger, oboe

Tracks:

Héctor Moro: Works (2019)

Wolgang Stryi (2) and Ernesto Molinari (3), contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Michael Pelzel: Gravity’s Rainbow (2019)

Ernesto Molinari, contrabass clarinet; Basel Sinfonietta

Tracks:

Dmitri Kourliandski: Decomposing Cities (2020)

Theo Nabicht, contrabass clarinet; Sergej Tchirkov, accordion

Tracks:

Various Artists: Music for Violas, Bass Clarinets & Flutes (2021)

Jason Alder, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • 1. Nout (Live)- Gérard Grisey
  • 2. Gestalten, for contrabass clarinet and tape (Live)- Niels Christian Rasmussen

Dai Fujikura: Glorious Clouds (2021)

Heather Roche, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Fie Schouten: Nut (2021)

Fie Schouten, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

Richard Haynes: Dominik Karski- The Outward Impulse (2022)

Richard Haynes, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

John McCowen: Models of Duration (2022)

John McCowen, contrabass clarinet

Tracks:

  • A1. Duration I
  • A2. Foggd
  • B1. Hoskin
  • Duration II

3 Comments

  1. Pingback:Favorite blog posts, May 2020 | Bret Pimentel, woodwinds

    • jasonalder

      Yes he did, but I kept the focus of this list to “classical” pieces. I’d like to do a “jazz” list next, but I think it’ll be an even bigger endeavor, as there’s actually quite a lot of use there. I’ll probably need a whole list just for Anthony Braxton alone!

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