The following are recommendations on clarinet literature:

• A Clarinetist's Study Guide - A book by David Hite, is available without charge from Southern Music Company. It lists solos from absolute beginning level through college level, with age appropriate technique, etudes, some chamber music, and goals for which each level should aim. Of course all of the music is published by Southern!
• Jazz Literature - Recommended by Connie Josias for a jazz style recital -
  1. Pocket Size Sonata for Clarinet and Piano by Alec Templeton. This 1940s-style jazz piece was published in 1949 by Leeds Music Corp. and first recorded by Reginald Kell. I've performed it many times, and find that audiences like it as much as I do. (I also have the clarinet part to Templeton's "Pocket Size Sonata No. 2," but I am missing that piano part. Does anyone on the network have the part? If so please let me know);
  2. Derivations" for Clarinet and Jazz Band by Morton Gould. There is a piano-reduction version of the band score, which is published by G & C Music Corp. and is distributed by Chappell and Co., Inc. (1956). I've performed the piece twice with jazz bands, and, after looking at the piano reduction, I think that the third movement, "Rag," would work OK with piano;
  3. Sonatine for Bb Clarinet and Piano by Pierre Gabaye (Alphonse Leduc, 1959). While the entire piece would not be inappropriate for a jazz-based recital, the middle movement is particularly jazz oriented, with its George Shearing cabaret style. This is one of my favorite performance pieces of any genre.

     If you play Eb clarinet too, I would also recommend the following pieces:

  4. Legs Rag by James Scott, arranged for Eb clarinet and piano by William Bolcom. Part of Bolcom's "Afternoon Cakewalk" ballet suite, the music is distributed by Presser
  5. Suite of Four Dances for Eb Clarinet and Piano by William Bolcom, (Marks Music, 1984).
• Solo Works for the Novice
  1. Three pieces for clarinet by Handel- these are movements from the flute sonatas, arranged by Reginald Kell- not too hard, and I think it's valuable to do some Baroque music even though the clarinet was barely accepted at the time.
  2. Four Fantasy Pieces by Niels Gade- somewhat similar to the Schumann Fantasiestucke, but less difficult.
  3. Sonata in Bb by Johann Baptist Wanhal- "not a great piece, but a good piece"... a bit tiring to play because it stays in the high register almost from beginning to end.
  4. Six Studies in English Folksong by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Only one fast one with technical difficulties- the other five are great for developing phrasing and tone colour, control at pp and ppp, etc.
  5. Romanze for Clarinet and Piano by Max Reger (1920). Originally written for violin and piano, this piece has also been transcribed for seven other solo instruments, including clarinet. B&H and is listed as Edition Breitkopf Nr. 4761
  6. Two Faure Pieces Arranged for Clarinet in Bb and Piano by Sidney Lawton (Oxford Press, 1980). The two pieces are "Pie Jesu" from Faure's Requiem, and his famous "Sicilienne," Op. 78
  7. An Elgar Clarinet Album arranged by Sidney Lawton (Novello, 1981). This collection includes six famous Elgar melodies, including "Salut d'Amour," "Chanson de Matin," and "Chanson de Nuit."
• Challenging Duos - From (judithk@worldaccess.nl)
  1. Duo II in C by B.H. Crusell, published by Sikorski
  2. Three Contrasts by Marcus Blunt, published by Emerson
  3. Grand Duo Op.2 no.1 by Boufil, published by Fentone
  4. Cross talk by Richard Rodney Bennett, published by Universal Edition
  5. Suite by Alan Frank, published by Oxford University Press
  6. 6 Dous concertante Op.2 by F.R, Gebauer, published by Sikorski
  7. Views of the Blues by Gordon Lewin, published by Boosey & Hawkes
  8. Duo in C by Konradin Kreuzer, published by Sikorski
  9. Duo in F by Anton Stadler, published by Sikorski
  10. Sonate by Willy Schneider, published by Moseler Verlag
  11. Trois Duos by Joseph Pranzer, published by Transatlantiques
  12. Theme & variations by Neil Butterworth, published by Ricordi
  13. Satirical Suite by Paul Harvey, published by Schott
• From Elizabeth Morgenroth: "I have a book of progressive duets (each one is slightly more difficult than the last) by Joseph Kuffner. It is published by Universal Edition and is rather pricy, but is a wonderful teaching tool for intermediate students -- through high school and early college. I also stumbled on 3 Duos Op. 81 by Kuffner, same publisher. Contemporary of Mozart, and very nice gigging music."