CLARINET & STRING TRIO MUSIC
Contemporary Music for Clarinet and String Trio
The combination of clarinet and string trio—often referred to as a clarinet quartet—offers a rich blend of colors, balancing the clarinet’s agility and lyricism with the warmth and resonance of the strings. This page presents Lior Navok’s Little Suite for clarinet and strings, alongside a curated list of contemporary works written for this versatile chamber‑music formation.
LITTLE SUITE
for clarinet and string trio
Duration:
12 minutes
Instrumentation:
clarinet, violin, viola and cello
Year Composed:
2006
Written For:
The Jerusalem Quintsextet
Commissioned by:
Israel Ministry of Science Culture & Sport and the Yehoshua Rabinovitch Foundation for the Arts.
Movements:
Overture
Energico
Romanza
Finale
Premiere Performance:
Jerusalem, Israel
The Jerusalem Quintsextet
Little Suite for clarinet and string trio | Ensemble Finale
About Little Suite
Little Suite is a 12‑minute, four‑movement work for clarinet and string trio. Built from a small collection of motifs that continually transform, the piece unfolds as a compact, expressive suite connected by recitative‑like passages. Written in 2006 for the Jerusalem Quintsextet, the work highlights the clarinet’s lyrical and agile qualities while allowing the strings to provide resonance, counterpoint, and dramatic contrast.
For the Performers
Level: Ideal for professional clarinetists and string players; also suitable for advanced student ensembles developing blend, phrasing, and motivic awareness.
Programming: Works well in contemporary chamber concerts, clarinet‑and‑strings recitals, and mixed‑repertoire programs featuring modern extensions of classical forms.
Style: Four concise movements linked by recitative‑like writing; motivic transformation shapes the narrative across the suite.
Venue Fit: Effective in intimate and medium‑sized halls.
Program Notes
Little Suite consists of four movements for clarinet and strings, connected primarily through recitatives. Each movement is based on a few motifs that undergo various transformations throughout the piece.
Movements:
-
Overture
-
Energico
-
Romanza
-
Finale
About Clarinet and String‑Trio Chamber Music
The clarinet quartet—clarinet with violin, viola, and cello—offers a unique chamber‑music sound world, combining the clarinet’s expressive range with the warmth and depth of a string trio.
Contemporary composers often use this ensemble to explore coloristic writing, close‑knit counterpoint, and flexible dialogue between winds and strings, making it a compelling formation for both performers and audiences.
Contemporary Repertoire for Clarinet and String Trio
Krzysztof Penderecki – Quartet for Clarinet and String Trio (1993)
Instrumentation: Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello.
A substantial, four-movement work that marks his later, more neo-romantic style. It's known for its dramatic intensity and lyricism, though less focused on the extreme extended techniques of his earlier work.
Jörg Widmann – Clarinet Quintet (2017)
Instrumentation: Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello (Quintet - 5 players).Widmann's significant contribution to the repertoire is a full quintet, not a quartet. It is a large-scale, single-movement Adagio known for its intricate textures and virtuosic demands.
Jean Françaix – Clarinet Quintet (1977)
Instrumentation: Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello (Quintet - 5 players)
Françaix did not write a standard quartet for this instrumentation. His quintet is a witty, neoclassical work, characterized by sparkling interplay and a lightness of touch.
Peter Schickele – Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1982)
Instrumentation: Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano (not a string trio)
A delightful and accessible four-movement work that features the piano as a core instrument, rather than a string trio, making it a very different ensemble sound.
Lior Navok – Little Suite (2006)
Instrumentation: Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello.
A confirmed piece for the standard quartet/trio combination. It is a four-movement contemporary work noted for its motivic transformation and expressive recitatives.