The Danish Clarinet Trio

OUR STORY

Tommaso Lonquich – Clarinet

Jonathan Slaatto – Cello

Martin Qvist Hansen - Piano

The Danish Clarinet Trio was established in 2016 by three of the leading chamber musicians in Scandinavia, all members of the world-renowned Ensemble MidtVest: Tommaso Lonquich (clarinet), Jonathan Slaatto (cello) and Martin Qvist Hansen (piano). The trio is driven as much by new research and discoveries as by musical excellence and vibrancy. The New York Times has praised its ‘undercurrents of urgency’ and ‘brilliant effects’.

The Trio has excelled in staples of the clarinet trio repertoire by Beethoven and Brahms while shining a light on neglected or unknown scores, introducing audiences the world over to works by Danish composers Vagn Holmboe and Per Nørgård to name but two. The trio has recorded works by both composers for the Danish label Dacapo and has appeared on tour in Canada, Italy, Brazil, the USA and the UK.

Between them, the Danish Clarinet Trio’s members are laureates of the ARD Competition in Munich, the young artist’s scheme of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists scheme. With Ensemble MidtVest, the ensemble has appeared on BBC Radio and the Danish network DR, and recorded for the German record label CPO. In 2018, the trio was invited to reside at the BBC’s Belfast International Arts Festival as Ensemble-in-Residence.

In the coming season, the Danish Clarinet Trio will give concerts in the UK, Germany, Iceland and Norway as well as at home in Denmark. Future plans include the world premiere, with the renowned professional chamber choir Ars Nova Copenhagen, of a new oratorio for clarinet trio and voices by the Danish composer Peter Bruun.

The Danish Clarinet Trio embraces the flexibility of the larger ensemble that gave birth to it. With partners including the violinist Nicolas Dautricourt, violist Simon Rowland-Jones and percussionist Johannes Fischer, it can expand to encompass repertoire and configurations of all kinds.

MUSIC

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT US

“In conjunction with the ensemble’s eloquent pianist, Martin Qvist Hansen, the cellist, Jonathan Slaatto, dominated the sound, pungently playing the chords in the slow second movement and, in the third, plucking at the very top of the fingerboard for a brilliantly muted, curt effect. As Mr. Hansen’s lines grew more expansive in the third-movement Scherzo, Mr. Slaatto still spurred him on with an undercurrent of urgency.”

The New York Times

"Lonquich tore into the dazzling passage-work and soared on wings of song."

The New York Classical Review

"As they played, our three participants phrased wisely. And all three of them sang. On his clarinet, Lonquich was slick, smooth, and swinging.”

The New Criterion

"Clarinetist Tommaso Lonquich made a spectacular impression both with his sumptuous tone and the passion of his playing. Whether at full cry or honing the sound down to a thread, Mr. Lonquich displayed his mastery at every moment; meanwhile his deep commitment to the music sometimes nearly drew him out of his chair as he polished off Schoenberg's demanding phrases with compelling sincerity.”

Oberon's Grove

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VIDEO

THE MUSICIANS

Tommaso Lonquich, Clarinet

Acclaimed as a “formidable clarinetist" (Mundo Clásico) and praised for his "sumptuous tone" and for "the mastery and passion of his playing" (Oberon´s Grove), Tommaso Lonquich enjoys a varied and distinguished career. He is solo clarinetist with Ensemble MidtVest in Denmark and with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society in New York (USA).

He has appeared in four continents on the world’s most prestigious stages (Carnegie, Tully, King’s Place, Suntory, Auditorio Nacional, Pleyel…) and is regularly invited to major festivals (Lockenhaus, Mecklenburg, Pacific, Brevard, Montepulciano, Mantova...). He holds a busy chamber music schedule, partnering with Carolin Widmann, Pekka Kuusisto, Klaus Thunemann, Sergio Azzolini, Alexander Lonquich, Esbjerg Ensemble and the Danish, Zaïde and Noûs Quartets.

Tommaso Lonquich can be heard on a number of CD releases by Ensemble MidtVest and Plural Ensemble (DaCapo, CPO, Col Legno), as well as on live broadcasts by national radios around the world.

Future engagements include his Wigmore Hall debut as well as extensive tours in the USA, Canada, Italy, Scandinavia, France, Slovenia and Germany.

Jonathan Slaatto, Cello

As a member of Trio Ondine, he was awarded first and second prizes at international competitions such as the ARD Music Competition in München, the Melbourne International Music Competition, the Joseph Haydn Competition in Vienna, and the London Parkhouse Award.

He has performed at The Wigmore Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Prades Festival, the Aldeburgh Festival, Canadian Orford Festival, and the MIDEM fair in Cannes. As a chamber musician he has been Artist in Residence at the Danish Broadcast, the Philharmonia in Duisburg and the BBC New Generation Artists Programme.

Jonathan has enjoyed soloistic performances with orchestras such as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Danish National Symphony Orchestra.

Martin Qvist Hansen, Piano

Danish pianist Martin Qvist Hansen (MQH) is a founder-member of Trio Ondine and of the LSH Group. With Trio Ondine he has won prizes in such competitions as ARD (Munich), Melbourne, Haydn Competition (Vienna), Parkhouse (London) and DR Competition (Copenhagen) to mention a few.

He has performed in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Purcell Room, Wien Konzerthaus, Herkules Saal and Mozarteum. Trio Ondine has also been BBC New Generation Artist group with several performances in London and a residency with the Duisburg Philharmonic.

As a soloist MQH won a prize in Bratislava Competition and has played concertos with most symphonic orchestras in his native Denmark. As a member of Ensemble MidtVest he has played throughout the world (New York, Rio de Janeiro, London, Berlin etc.).

MQH holds a teaching position in piano and chamber music at the Academy of Music in Århus.

SAMPLE PROGRAMS

ANNIVERSARY PROPOSALS

**SPECIAL PROGRAM for 2019**

"Around Clara Schumann: Creator and Muse"
A romantic program celebrating the composer's 200th birthday in 2019

Robert Schumann, Adagio and Allegro for cello and piano op. 70
Clara Schumann, Trio for clarinet, cello and piano op. 17
------
Johannes Brahms, Sonata for clarinet and piano op. 120 no. 1 or 2
Robert Schumann, "Fairy Tales" for clarinet, cello and piano op. 132

**SPECIAL PROGRAM for 2020**

"Beethoven's Spell"
Celebrating Beethoven's 250th birthday in 2020, his two clarinet trios meet Per Norgaard's "Spell", the Scandinavian masterpiece for the same instrumentation.

Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
Per Norgaard, "Spell" for clarinet, cello and piano
---
Beethoven, Trio in E-flat major, Op.38 for clarinet, cello and piano

REGULAR PROPOSALS

“Milestones”

Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
Per Norgaard, "Spell" for clarinet, cello and piano
---
Brahms, Trio in a minor, op. 114 for clarinet, cello and piano

“Classical Evolution" (version I)

Mozart, “Kegelstatt” Trio K.498 (version for clarinet, cello and piano)
Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
---
Brahms, Trio in a minor, op. 114 for clarinet, cello and piano

“Classical Evolution" (version II)

Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
Robert Schumann, "Fairy Tales" op. 132 (version for clarinet, cello and piano)
---
Brahms, Trio in a minor, op. 114 for clarinet, cello and piano

THE “GENERATIONS” SERIES

The “Generations” series of programs pivots on artistic relationships, focusing on continuity, conflict and re-imagination between “generations” of composers.

"Generations: Copenhagen-Vienna"

Holmboe, Trio “Eco”
Zemlinsky, Clarinet Trio, op. 3
------
Norgaard, Clarinet Trio “Spell”
Brahms, Clarinet Trio Op. 114

On one hand is the link between Danish composers of the 20th century and the unescapable historical influence of their counterparts in 19th century Vienna. On the other hand we explore the relationships between master and student: Norgaard was a student of Holmboe while Zemlinsky was a protégé of Brahms. Zemlinsky’s romantic clarinet trio was popularized thanks to the support of the old master, who personally advised his own publisher to consider the work for immediate publication.
“Generations” in this context also points to the life-stages of youth and maturity: while the Zemlinsky’s and Norgaards’ trios are works by young composers of promising creative ebullience, Holmboe and Brahms wrote their trios with understated mastery, in the sunset of their lives.

"Generations: Germany-Denmark"

J.S. Bach, Cello Suite no. 2
Norgaard, Trio “Spell”
------
C.P.E. Bach, Sonata for solo clarinet (orig. for flute)
Holmboe, Trio “Eco”

At the center of this intimate program is the relationship between master and student: Norgaard was a student of Holmboe as C.P.E. Bach was a student of J.S. Bach. Of course, between the Bachs the paternal metaphor, often implied in teaching, was also a true family relationship.
The music of Carl Philip Emanuel Bach is only recently being rediscovered and performed. The enormous reputation of Johann Sebastian has come to unjustly eclipse his son’s work (surprisingly, the reverse was true in their lifetimes). Here we explore how these two composers treated the challenges of the intimate solo voice with inspiration and superb craftsmanship.
The trios by Holmboe and Norgaard are relatively unknown even in their native Denmark, despite their great quality and poetic inventiveness. Like C.P.E. Bach’s compositions, these trios deserve to be performed and heard more often than they currently are: the Danish Clarinet Trio aims to contribute markedly towards their divulgation through performance and recording.

Trios

Brahms, Clarinet Trio op.114

Beethoven, Clarinet Trio op. 11

Beethoven, Clarinet Trio op. 38

Hartmann, Serenade op. 24

Holmboe, Trio “Eco”

Mozart, "Kegelstatt" Trio K.498
Norgaard, Trio “Spell”

Rota, Clarinet Trio

Clara Schumann, Trio in g minor op. 17

Robert Schumann, "Fairy Tales" Trio op. 132

Widmann, "Nachtstuck"

Zemlinsky, Clarinet Trio op. 3

Clarinet and Piano

Brahms, Clarinet Sonata op. 120 no. 2

Debussy, Premiere Rhapsodie

Gade, Fantasy Pieces

Nielsen, Fantasy

Poulenc, Clarinet Sonata

Cello and piano

Beethoven, Cello Sonatas no. 3 in A and no. 4 in C

Brahms, Selected Lieder

Brahms, Sonata in e minor

Debussy, Cello Sonata

Janacek, Pohadka

Poulenc, Cello Sonata

Prokofieff, Cello Sonata

Schumann, Adagio and Allegro

Schumann, Fantasiestücke

Shostakovich, Cello Sonata

Vivaldi, 6 Sonatas

Cello Solo

Bach, Solo suites 1-5

Britten, Solo Suite no. 1

Gunnar Berg: Solo suite

Holmboe, Solo Sonata

Finn Savery, Solo Sonata

Clarinet Solo

C.P.E. Bach, Sonata (orig. for flute)

Debussy, Syrinx (orig. for flute)

Kovacs, Hommage a J.S. Bach

Messiaen, “Abyss of the Birds” from the Quartet

Penderecki, Prelude

Piazzolla, Tango Etudes (orig. for violin/flute)

Stravinsky, Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo

Widmann, Fantasy for Solo Clarinet

CONCERTS & TOURS

2019

27 January 2019

Copenhagen (Denmark)

5 May 2019

Seattle, WA (USA)

8 May 2019

Washington D.C. (USA)

9 May 2019

New York City (USA)

10 August 2019

Norfolk (United Kingdom)

12 August 2019

Hvide Sande (Denmark)

15 September 2019

Randers (Denmark)

17 November 2019

Skive (Demark)

18 November 2019

Viborg (Denmark)

20 November 2019

Reykjavik (Iceland)

2020

14 Feburary 2020

Gladbach (Germany)

16 February 2020

Måløv (Denmark)

24 April 2020

TBD (Denmark)

World Premiere of new commission - Concerto for clarinet trio and choir by Peter Bruun, in collaboration with Ars Nova

7 May 2020

Christiansfeld (Denmark)

11-16 May 2020

Cruiseship concerts (UK, Norway)

25th October 2020

Skjern/Tarm (Denmark)

22 November 2020

Haderslev (Denmark)

CONTACT US

The Danish Clarinet Trio is represented worldwide by Nordic Artists Management:

Neel Teilmann

Mail:

Phone: +45 22744904

Web: http://www.nordicartistsmanagement.com/artists/the-danish-clarinet-trio-1