Finzi - Clarinet Concerto, Op.31 - III. Rondo: Allegro giocoso

*This post is part of a series on Gerald Finzi's Clarinet Concerto, Op.31 for clarinet and string orchestra. Feel free to read the other posts, linked below!*

Clarinet Concerto, Op.31
I. Allegro vigoroso (post)
II. Adagio ma senza rigore (post)
III. Rondo: Allegro giocoso

As in my other posts on the Finzi Clarinet Concerto (performed by soloist Robert Plane with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, directed by Howard Griffiths), I'll share a walkthrough of the piece.

Introduction
(19:29) An off-kilter and punctuated introduction in f# minor gets this movement off to a rocky start.
(19:35) Just as soon as it begins, the key seems to modulate to c# minor, but then falters into...
(19:40) ...d minor, which does not last long as the cellos march along, dropping a whole step with succesive perfect fifths until finally landing on a pedal G, leaving us in...
(19:43) ...c minor. Finally, the chaotic motion wanes to a C4 drone on violin and slower motion in cellos and basses.

Rondo - A Section
(19:52) The rondo begins here, and the clarinet introduces its theme.

(20:17) The theme begins to digress onto another path.
(20:19) From here until 20:29 is a super fun type of passage to play on clarinet.

(20:31) Rondo theme transposed from C major to A major.
(20:50) Call-and-response figure between first violins and clarinet.
(20:55) This winding type of figure shows up repeatedly in different fashions over the course of the finale, in different keys and tonalities (major vs. minor), but this sort of contour is reoccurring.

(21:16) That winding figure extends into this waltz-like interlude.

(21:31) The interplay between the strings and the clarinet rhythmically (exchanging when they take the eight-note subdivisions in their interwoven melodies) is interesting.

(21:49) Tasteful and crisply played trills in second violins/violas and violas/cellos.

(22:01) Clarinet reenters with a new waltz melody, picked up by the violins ten seconds later.

- (22:16) Violas double the first violins.
- (22:19) Second violins double the first violins.
- (22:21) Finzi breaks off a solo violin part from the first violins, which embellishes the clarinet entrance texturally.
- (22:32) First violins back in unison.

(22:36) Clarinet brings back the winding figure from earlier.
(22:48) Already stratospheric ascent to a definite key change...
(22:54) ...where the clarinet restates the rondo theme in A major. This is significantly more challenging to play smoothly than the first occurrence.
(23:13) Sudden modulation to D♭ major. This warm tone continues for some time.
(23:30) Reducing to a single string line threads into...

Rondo - B Section
(23:36) ...the second rondo theme!

This interlude in D♭ major happens almost entirely in the clarion register of the clarinet, which is the most comfortable range to play in from a response standpoint. The throat tones are difficult to make full and round, while the chalumeau register can struggle to speak in time and with a clear articulation. The altissimo notes are far more difficult to control, but the clarion register perfectly balances all of these. You can call it the "sweet spot" for clarinet playing.

(23:55) Innocuous modulation to c# minor from D♭ major (same tonic) using the clarinet's perfect fifth as an anchor.
(24:01) Strings play the second theme in E major, relative of c# minor. Clarinet joins in unison at 24:08, and later splits off with a countermelody.
(24:21) Interesting interlude here, marked scherzando (It. "playfully", "jokingly"), which quickly becomes extremely energetic.

(24:42) Strings play the second theme in F# major this time, suddenly modulating to B♭ major.
(25:00) Actually, to b♭ minor, given all of the accidentals and the tone of this segment! The winding motion returns here.
(25:14) Stratospheric climax again — to B♭ major.
(25:24) Clarinet plays first theme in B♭ major (C major on clarinet).

First Movement Reprise
(25:50) In the style of the first movement!
(26:06) Recognize this material from the first movement?

(26:19) Slow clarinet cadenza.

(26:36) Recapitulated material from the first movement coda.

(26:56) Recapitulated material from the first movement clarinet introduction.

Rondo - Coda
(27:24) First theme returns in all violins, quickly diverging before the clarinet's frilly entrance.

(27:36) Aggressive arpeggios in the clarinet part propel the orchestra towards a vigorous ending.

Thanks for reading and following along with this concerto! If you missed the posts on the first and second movements, check them out — links at the top of this post. Share this post and leave your comments below!

Score excerpts taken from the Hawkes & Son (1953) edition (London) via IMSLP.org.
Clarinet excerpts taken from the Hawkes & Son (1951) edition (London).