Bassklarinette (Rondissimo (Opus 17))

Rondissimo, Opus 17, is a piece for two solo woodwind instruments and strings and was transcribed in 1984 from Triomagno, Opus 15, for clarinet, cello and piano. In Rondissimo an entire section was added to Triomagno and others were varied, including a reversal in the order of the first two movements.

Rondissimo is made up of three movements. In the first, Come valzer cantabile e rubato, there is a brief cadence by the high wind instrument. The second movement is made up of two main, alternating tempi:  Moderato and Calmo con elasticità. The third movement is a Rondo (Allegro molto) with the theme of the Rondo entrusted to the two solo wind instruments.

The two wind instruments can be either a clarinet in Bb, a soprano sax, or an alto flute in G for the higher part, and either a bass clarinet, a tenor sax, or a bassoon for the lower part. The score specifies a duplication of a pitch to fit within the range of the wind instruments chosen, when they have an impossible note to play.

The number of strings, ideally should be equal to or greater than: 4.4.2.2.1, but that is left to the discretion of the conductor according to the available instruments. Since each of the string parts could feasibly be played by one player, performance with a string quintet would be possible. Therefore divisi has not been written in the score. Whether or not to divide the strings can be decided by the conductor according to the number of strings available.