Heinrich Bärmann
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Joseph Baermann (also spelled Bärmann) (February 14, 1784, Potsdam
, Germany – June 11, 1847, Munich
, Germany) was a clarinet
virtuoso
of the Romantic era who is generally considered as being not only an outstanding performer of his time, but highly influential in the creation of several composers' compositions.
In his youth, Baermann took lessons from Joseph Beer
(1744–1811) at the military school in Potsdam. After his skill came to the attention of the Berlin court in 1804, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia had the 20 year old musician pursue his training in Berlin under the guidance of Franz Tausch (1762–1817). He was employed in the court orchestra of Munich from 1807 until his retirement in 1834 when his son Carl Baermann succeeded him.
Parallel to Baermann's rise, the clarinet was undergoing a series of developments in key construction and embouchure
that allowed greater agility and flexibility in playing. It was becoming custom to now play with the reed on the bottom lip, as is done today, as opposed to the top lip as had been the previous prevailing style. Baermann was an exponent of this new style of playing, and possessed a modern instrument made by Griesling & Schlott which allowed him to play chromatic passages with far greater ease than traditional 5-keyed instruments. He is said to have had a great dynamic range.
Numerous composers wrote for Baermann, and he undoubtedly influenced the romantic clarinet repertoire. Along with lesser well known composers such as Franz Danzi
and Peter von Lindpaintner
, Baermann received works from Felix Mendelssohn
, Carl Maria von Weber
and Giacomo Meyerbeer
. Mendelssohn most notably wrote the two Konzert Stücke, Opp. 113, 114 (Concert Pieces) for Baermann and his son Carl to play together; Meyerbeer wrote a quintet (1812) and concertos, and Weber produced numerous works including two concertos (Opp. 73, 74), a quintet (Op. 34), the Concertino, Op. 26, and the Sylvana Variations, Op. 33, but not his Grand Duo Concertant.
Not unlike other virtuosi at the time, Baermann tried his hand fairly successfully at composing for his instrument as can be heard on the recording by Dieter Klöcker
on the ORFEO
music label. Among other works, he wrote an Adagio for Clarinet and Strings in D-flat, which was long misattributed to Richard Wagner
.
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, Germany – June 11, 1847, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany) was a clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
of the Romantic era who is generally considered as being not only an outstanding performer of his time, but highly influential in the creation of several composers' compositions.
In his youth, Baermann took lessons from Joseph Beer
Joseph Beer (clarinetist)
Joseph Beer was one of the first internationally famous clarinet virtuousos, with connections to many major composers of the era....
(1744–1811) at the military school in Potsdam. After his skill came to the attention of the Berlin court in 1804, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia had the 20 year old musician pursue his training in Berlin under the guidance of Franz Tausch (1762–1817). He was employed in the court orchestra of Munich from 1807 until his retirement in 1834 when his son Carl Baermann succeeded him.
Parallel to Baermann's rise, the clarinet was undergoing a series of developments in key construction and embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
that allowed greater agility and flexibility in playing. It was becoming custom to now play with the reed on the bottom lip, as is done today, as opposed to the top lip as had been the previous prevailing style. Baermann was an exponent of this new style of playing, and possessed a modern instrument made by Griesling & Schlott which allowed him to play chromatic passages with far greater ease than traditional 5-keyed instruments. He is said to have had a great dynamic range.
Numerous composers wrote for Baermann, and he undoubtedly influenced the romantic clarinet repertoire. Along with lesser well known composers such as Franz Danzi
Franz Danzi
Franz Ignaz Danzi was a German cellist, composer and conductor, the son of the noted Italian cellist Innocenz Danzi. Born in Schwetzingen, Franz Danzi worked in Mannheim, Munich, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, where he died....
and Peter von Lindpaintner
Peter Josef von Lindpaintner
Peter Josef von Lindpaintner was a German composer and conductor.Born in Koblenz as the son of a tenor, he studied with Peter Winter and Joseph Graetz. From 1819 onwards he was based in Stuttgart...
, Baermann received works from Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
, Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
and Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
. Mendelssohn most notably wrote the two Konzert Stücke, Opp. 113, 114 (Concert Pieces) for Baermann and his son Carl to play together; Meyerbeer wrote a quintet (1812) and concertos, and Weber produced numerous works including two concertos (Opp. 73, 74), a quintet (Op. 34), the Concertino, Op. 26, and the Sylvana Variations, Op. 33, but not his Grand Duo Concertant.
Not unlike other virtuosi at the time, Baermann tried his hand fairly successfully at composing for his instrument as can be heard on the recording by Dieter Klöcker
Dieter Klöcker
Dieter Klöcker was a German clarinetist known for rediscovering many forgotten masters of the 18th century...
on the ORFEO
ORFEO
ORFEO is a German classical record label founded in 1979 and launched in 1982. It has released the archives of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. The record label was used by its owner F. Axel Merhle as a tax shelter, which resulted in his prosecution for fraud in December 1985.-...
music label. Among other works, he wrote an Adagio for Clarinet and Strings in D-flat, which was long misattributed to Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
.
Recordings of his compositions
- Concertstück in G minor, Concertino in C minor, Concertino in E-flat major, Dieter Klöcker on Orfeo-International
External Links
Scores- Quartet, clarinet, violin, viola, violoncello, op. 18, B major (from the Sibley Music Library Digital Score Collection)