Aaron Rabushka provides some excellent suggestions for fans of the clarinet.

>Good clarinet music? As far as concertos go there are those of Mozart,
>Weber (including the concertino), Nielsen, Copland, and Stravinsky (Ebony
>Concerto) for starters.  I also enjoy Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, K.
>297b, even if its parentage is suspect.  I understand that there are
>several clarinet concertos by Reinecke although I've never heard any of
>them.  Corigliano's is also well worth a gander, and you can also try my
>own if you're willing to cross into the exotic territory of a double
>concerto with soprano and bass clarinets out front (VMM-3038--see my web
>page for a swatch).

Please indulge me another opportunity to speak of the importance of
American Jazz.  Yesterday I was listening to the music of Jelly Roll
Morton, a seminal voice in the development of this serious (but wonderfully
fun) music.  His music or that of other early New Orleans influenced
composers and improvisors provides wonderful displays of clarinet
performance and composition.  The clean, clear clarinet lines also make
this excellent music for contemplating counterpoint.  The clarinet weaves
in and out of the lines played by the rest of the ensemble in fantastic
ways.  Frankly, I think that listening to Dixieland is a great way to
introduce the concept of voices to classical music beginners.

Probably the best of the early performers is Sidney Bechet (namesake of
Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn's baby).  Berkshire records has had cutouts
of some of his work recently.  Artie Shaw's Concerto for Clarinet is well
worth listening to; many people consider him superior to the better know
Benny Goodman.  Of course, Jimmy Hamilton's work in the Duke Ellington band
is also magnificent.

Moving forward in time the clarinet diminished in importance as bee bop
came to dominate jazz, supplanted by the saxophone.  To my ears, something
was definitely lost.  Currently an excellent musician playing clarinet in
innovative and bold ways is Don Byron.  In addition to contemporary jazz
he has also recorded a klezmer album I believe.

So listen to all the works Aaron cited. But hopefully you will also relax
and enjoy some virtusos clarinet work in the jazz genre.

Ed