Short bio Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen
Full biography Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen
Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen was a German composer and clarinetist born on September 16, 1768, in Leipzig, Germany. He is known for his contributions to the development of the clarinet as a solo instrument during the Classical period. He began his musical training at an early age, studying with his father, Johann Adam Backofen, who was a trumpeter.
At the age of 18, Backofen became a clarinetist in the court orchestra of Duke Ernst II in Gotha, where he remained for the next 30 years. During this time, he also served as the Hofkapellmeister (court music director). Backofen's talents as a clarinetist soon became well-known, and he was widely regarded as one of the finest clarinetists of his time.
Backofen's compositions typically featured the clarinet prominently and helped to establish the instrument as a solo instrument in its own right. He wrote numerous pieces for solo clarinet, including concertos, sonatas, and variations, as well as chamber music and orchestral works.
Backofen also contributed to the development of the clarinet by inventing the clarinet d'amour, an instrument with a lower, darker tone than the standard clarinet. He also wrote a method book for the clarinet, which was considered a valuable resource for clarinetists during his time.
Today, Backofen's music is not as widely performed as the works of some of his contemporaries, but his contributions to the development of the clarinet cannot be overstated. His compositions and innovations helped to establish the clarinet as a solo instrument in Classical music, paving the way for future composers and performers.
Compositions featuring Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinfonia Concertante for 2 clarinets & orchestra in A major, Op.10 | 19:02 min | Concerto | 1800 |
| 2 | Andante & Minuet | 4:13 min | - | |
| 3 | Clarinet Concerto in B flat major, Op. 3 | 23:53 min | Concerto | - |
| 4 | Clarinet Concerto in E flat major, Op. 16 | 20:49 min | Concerto | - |
| 5 | Clarinet Concerto in E flat major, Op. 24 | 24:10 min | Concerto | - |
| 6 | Concertante for bassett horn, harp & cello, Op.7 | 15:01 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 7 | Quintet in B flat major for clarinet & strings, Op. 15 | 18:39 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 8 | Quintet in F major for basset horn & strings, Op. 9 | 20:58 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 9 | Sonata Concertante for harp & bassoon | 14:36 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 10 | Sonata for harp | Chamber Music | - | |
| 11 | Sonata for violin (or flute) & harp in F major | Chamber Music | - |
Albums featuring Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Duo Imaginaire - Debussy, Beethoven, Micháns, Granados, Backofen, Rossini, Lancen – Old New Borrowed Blue(CD, Album) | 2013 | TYXart |
| 2 |  |
Backofen & Mozart, Eybler Quartet & Jane Booth – Theme & Variations(CD, ) | 2010 | Analekta |
| 3 |  |
Georg Heinrich Backofen - Dieter Klöcker, SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern, Johannes Moesus – Clarinet Concertos(CD, ) | 2005 | cpo |
| 4 |  |
Bochsa, Rossini, Backofen, Mozart, Rachel Talitman, Luc Loubry – Untitled(CD, Album) | 1997 | Arcobaleno (2) |
| 5 |  |
Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Johann Matthäus Leffloth, Johann Christoph Vogel - Veronika Hampe, Anneke Uittenbosch, Dieter Klöcker, Waldemar Wandel, Concerto Amsterdam, Jaap Schröder, Consortium Classicum – Aus Schlӧssern Und Residenzen: Nürnberg. Ka | 1993 | Pilz |
| 6 |  |
Jiří Družecký, János Fusz, Heinrich Backofen – Works For Basset Horn And Strings(CD, Album, Club Edition) | 1989 | Musical Heritage Society, Inc. |
| 7 |  |
Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Franz Danzi, Alois Beerhalter – Musik Aus Der Blütezeit Des Bassetthorns | 1988 | Jecklin-Disco |
| 8 |  |
Franz Schubert, Xavier Lefèvre, Charles Bochsa, Iwan Müller, Philippe Wolff, Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Edward Witsenburg, Dieter Klöcker – Klarinette Und Harfe(LP) | 1983 | Acanta |
| 9 |  |
Johann Fuss, Anton Stadler, Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Erzherzog Rudolf von Österreich – Kammermusik Für Bassetthorn | 1967 | Da Camera Magna |
| 10 |  |
Theodor von Schacht, Franz Anton Hoffmeister - Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Dieter Klöcker, Waldemar Wandel – Klarinettenkonzerte(CD, Reissue, Stereo) | - | Acanta |
| 11 |  |
Johann Fuss, Anton Stadler, Heinrich Fink, Johann Georg Heinrich Backofen, Erzherzog Rudolf von Österreich, The Heidelberg Chamber Music Players – Chamber Music For The Basset Horn(LP, Stereo) | - | Oryx Collectors' Series |
| 12 |  |
Carl Stamitz, Johann Heinrich Backofen, Franz Klein, Erwin Klein (2), Kölner Rundfunkorchester, Urs Schneider – Clarinet Concertos(CD, Album, Stereo) | - | Koch Schwann Musica Mundi |
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