Upon listening to the clarinetist Richard Mülhfeld play, Johannes Brahms became so enthusiastic about the clarinet’s possibilities that he began writing chamber works for him. Brahms was always particularly fond of the female alto voice, whose timbre is similar to the clarinet’s, and so Brahms promptly nicknamed Mülhfeld “Fraeulein Clarinet”.
For Mülhfeld, Brahms first wrote a clarinet trio, which was followed by a clarinet quintet, and finally, a pair of clarinet sonatas, both composed in the summer of 1894.
These two sonatas were first played by Mülhfeld with Brahms at a private performance in the home of the sister of the Duke of Meiningen. Later the pair also gave private performances in Frankfurt for Clara Schumann and at Castle Altenstein for the Duke of Meiningen. The first public performances occurred in Vienna in January of 1895.
Here are Martin Froest and Yuja Wang to play the Clarinet Sonata #2 for your enjoyment:
