LUDWIG SPOHR’S CONCERTOS AS A REFLECTION OF THE GERMAN CLARINET SCHOOL

Abstract

This article examines Ludwig Spohr’s clarinet concertos as an artistic reflection of the formation of the German clarinet school in the early nineteenth century. Particular attention is given to the historical and performance context of the four concertos, their close association with Johann Simon Hermstedt, and the parallel process of technical development of the instrument. The study employs historical-stylistic analysis, structural and formal examination, and a comparative approach to trace the evolution of Spohr’s musical language from a late Classical concerto model toward an early Romantic conception of musical dramaturgy. The results reveal distinctive features of form-building, tonal organisation, soloist-orchestra interaction, and the combination of virtuosity with cantabile expressiveness characteristic of the German clarinet tradition. The cycle is interpreted as an example of composer-performer co-creativity, reflecting the interdependence of artistic, performative, and technological processes of the period