So I am looking for a solo to play next year and I just want to see what every one else has played and what they reccomend. See at my high school every year we have a recital where all the woodwinds compete with their solo. i have never won because i never enter and especially this year i was too busy making all-state. i want to play a solo that is sort of unheard of and VERY challenging but not something i know someone would look at as like a disgrace to music or n e thing... any suggestions?...

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I personally love the Sonatina by Rosza. its unaccompined, and its gorgeous. not terribly difficult, but very, very pretty.

mm... Concertino by Weber. thats always a good one.. but maybe a little too Heard Of

I like Brahms first and second sonata.. too. Oh and another well-known but very awesome song is the Premeire Rhapsody by Debussy.. of course

*goes and gets clarinet solo book*

Weber Concertos... those are fun

oo and a fairly easy one is Motzarts Concerto opus 107... it sounds impressive and its a blast to play. And conerto Number 2 by spohr. thats a good one.

well. thats just my .02

I am now working on Sonata in Eb for clarinet and piano by Camille Saint-Saens and I really do like it. I am working on it for the spring orchestra concert as my solo piece. I think that all the movements sound pretty nice. My favorite one is the first movement.

Have you tried Adagio and Tarentella by Ernesto Cavallini.. Lovely Solo! Really fun! And Allegretto from Introduction, Theme and Variations By Weber.. Thats an easily solo than adagio and tarentella but its still fun!

I LOVE Adagio and Tarantella! That`s a great piece, but if you`re wanting technical and impressive...try the Muczynski Time Pieces. Fabulous piece with Time Sig. Changes all over the place. Hope you can tongue fast!

-Dennis

i was in solo and ensemble for the first time and i played "the soldier" not sure who it`s by it was challenging till i got good at it......but if ur in high skool it mite be easy for u cuz im only in 6th grade

my personal favorite at the time is the Copland Concerto by Aaron Copland. It is extremely long, so if your endurance can`t handle 11 pages, i suggest that you dont play it. But it is the most fun solo if ever seen so far. It ranges from a low E to a 4th octave Bb. One of my favorite notes. Another one is Introduction, Theme and Variations by Giacchino Rossini. That one is an out-right blast.

Carnival of Venice - Almiro Giampieri.

Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Clarinet.
now that's some good stuff.

Not too fussed on the Stravinsky clarinet stuff.

If you're looking for a modern solo, Malcolm Arnold Sonatina does the job.

Notwithstanding how much you enjoy the piece:

What is the absolutely most difficult solo ever written?

technically or as a whole? What are the criteria to be used in making this decision? There are lots of pieces that have TOO many accidentals which make those quite difficult. Then there are just way technical pieces. Then finally pieces that are fantastically long with difficult technical sections and lyrical sections where it's hard to breathe. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

-Dennis

A great piece which is good as a solo is Legend by Miriam Hyde

Its fairly modern but sounds lovely, one of my favourite pieces for the clarinet ever. I think its on the 7th grade syllabus, its quite challenging but it is a very showy piece with an awesome cadenza in the middle which sounds AWESOME if you nail it in your performance. It leaves a lot of room for personal expression which is always good in a solo. It is difficult to put with the accompaniment though so get praciticing with an accompanist very early on.

Otherwise I love the Brahns Sonata 2 and the Mozart one