Quartet for Clarinet Quartet (Clarinet, Violin, Cello and Double Bass) (INCOMPLETE)

This piece originated as a String Quartet early last year. I put it aside for a few months to work on some other stuff for my school composition portfolio before returning to it last September after I was asked to write a (moderately difficult) piece for a small chamber group consisting of a clarinetist, violinist, cellist and bassist. Due to the stress of my final year of high school and a bout of severe writers block/self-doubt I was only able to write about 24 bars of material for the version of the piece attached below. I had much more written though I trimmed it down to a point where it felt like it could stop so that I would be able to submit it in my composition portfolio. I've considered letting this piece rot in unfinished piece hell (where a good chunk of my pieces are), though I've now decided to try and complete a full sonata form movement. Maybe after I finish that I'll turn this into a proper chamber work. Maybe I might turn it back into a string quartet. Thoughts?

Hello @expert21!

I think it's pretty good as a Clarinet Quartet.  I hope that the Clarinet can get to play the melody at some point in the piece!  It would be a shame to have a Clarinet be part of the ensemble (and be the only wind instrument with a unique timbre) and not get to shine as the soloist.  Is this ensemble picked by necessity?  In that case I'm assuming you don't have a Violist, which is why this ensemble lacks one?  I would personally prefer to write for Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Cello rather than the Contrabass.  With this ensemble you should take care to not have the sound be too heavy because of the Contrbass, especially if the Cello and Contrabass aren't doubling each other.  But that doesn't really seem to be a problem here as you have the Contrabass consistently in a range that the Cello could easily play as well.  There is ample harmonic variety, although I think the bass line sounds a bit awkward sometimes.  Thanks for sharing!

Hey Arjuna,

Sorry it’s completely idiotic for me not to have review this one. I think I have discussed this with you before. 

Like Peter said the clarinet can definitely carry more melodic role. For me the viola and contrabass can also have more melodies as well in later passages! 

On 2/9/2025 at 10:35 AM, expert21 said:

though I've now decided to try and complete a full sonata form movement. Maybe after I finish that I'll turn this into a proper chamber work. Maybe I might turn it back into a string quartet. Thoughts?

Yeah I conceive these 24 bars as the first theme of a sonata form movement. With its melancholic nature, you can then start with a transition to a brighter 2nd theme in a brighter key! Maybe there the clarinet can be featured more! Thx for sharing and hope to see ya update!

Henry