Johanna Senfter

Quintet Op. 119

The number of well-known clarinet quintets is quite small. The only major composers whose clarinet quintets are relatively widespread are Mozart, Brahms, Weber and Reger.The composer Johanna Senfter (1879-1961) from Oppenheim admired the music of Johannes Brahms and of Max Reger who was her teacher. Her chamber music œuvre conveys a certain closeness to the clarinet. She even wrote a Sonata for clarinet, viola, horn and piano, op. 37, a Sonata for clarinet or viola and piano, op. 57, as well as a Trio for clarinet, horn and piano, op. 60.Continuing the historic line of Brahms and Reger, the clarinet quintet is steeped in the harmony, compositional style and expressiveness of her teacher Reger - a style which she developed even further and increased in expressiveness. This quintet is, without doubt, a valuable addition to the repertoire.