Clarinet Concerto

Commissioned by Benny Goodman in 1947 and completed in 1948, this two-movement concerto bridges classical and jazz idioms. The first movement is a languid, lyrical meditation; the second, connected by a virtuosic cadenza, is a riotous rondo infused with jazz rhythms, blues scales, and Latin-American elements. A landmark of American music that demands both classical precision and rhythmic swagger.