Concerto Fantasia on motives from the opera Rigoletto – for Clarinet and Piano

The concerto fantasia on motives from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” has become an integral part of the concert repertoire of clarinet players around the world. Bassi, former principal clarinetist of La Scala in Milan, combines lyrical qualities and ravishing virtuosity, matching the phenomenon of Verdi’s music in a perfect way.

The new edition for clarinet and piano derives from the first print of 1865 and is completed by another, yet unknown “Rigoletto” adaption by Bassi. The introduction to the quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore,” composed a few years earlier, is combining the sophisticated handling of themes with practical clarinet-like ornamentation, transporting a brilliant opera atmosphere into the concert hall.