The Danish Clarinet Trio
About
Tommaso Lonquich – Clarinet
Jonathan Slaatto – Cello
Martin Qvist Hansen - Piano
The Danish Clarinet Trio was established in 2016 by three leading chamber musicians in Scandinavia, all members of world-renowned Ensemble MidtVest: Tommaso Lonquich (clarinet), Jonathan Slaatto (cello) and Martin Qvist Hansen (piano). The New York Times has praised their ‘undercurrents of urgency’ and ‘brilliant effects’.
The members of the Trio are co-founders and Artistic Directors of Schackenborg Musikfest, a world-class music festival which takes place in the homonymous Castle on the border region of Denmark and Germany, with guests such as Christian Tetzlaff, Nicolas Altstaedt, Mojca Erdmann, Alexander Lonquich and many others.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and other major reviewers have praised the leadership of the Danish Clarinet Trio at Schackenborg, highlighting the Artistic Directors' daring energy as organizers and their depth and top quality on the concert stage.
The Trio has excelled in the interpretation of masterpieces by Beethoven and Brahms while shining a light on neglected scores (such as Clara Schumann's Trio) and introducing audiences the world over to works by Danish composers. The Trio has recorded works by Vagn Holmboe and Per Nørgård for the Danish label Dacapo and has appeared on tour in Canada, Italy, Germany, Iceland, Brazil, the USA, the UK and throughout Scandinavia.
Between them, the Danish Clarinet Trio’s members are laureates of the ARD Competition in Munich, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists scheme. The ensemble has appeared on BBC Radio, the Danish network DR, ARD and most of Europe's classical stations. With Ensemble MidtVest it has recorded for the German label CPO. In 2018, the Trio was invited to reside at the BBC’s Belfast International Arts Festival as Ensemble-in-Residence.
The Danish Clarinet Trio embraces the flexibility of the larger ensemble that gave birth to it. With partners including violinists Christian Tetzlaff, Nicolas Dautricourt and Bogdan Božović, violist Simon Rowland-Jones and percussionist Johannes Fischer, it can expand into a plethora of new configurations and present an exciting variety of repertoire.
Music
The Danish Clarinet Trio in the Press
Photos
(c) Andrej Grilc
(c) Andrej Grilc
(c) Andrej Grilc
Video
Introducing: The Danish Clarinet Trio
Introducing: The Danish Clarinet Trio
Brahms, Clarinet Trio - II. Adagio (The Danish Clarinet Trio)
The Danish Clarinet Trio plays Beethoven's "Gassenhauer" (Lonquich, Slaatto, Hansen)
The Danish Clarinet Trio plays Brahms' Clarinet Trio (Lonquich, Slaatto, Hansen)
The Musicians
Tommaso Lonquich, Clarinet
Acclaimed as a “formidable clarinetist" and praised for his "sumptuous tone" and for "the mastery and passion of his playing", 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, Wigmore, Tully, King’s Place, Suntory, Auditorio Nacional, Pleyel…) and is regularly invited to major festivals (Lockenhaus, Mecklenburg, Pacific, Music@Menlo, Brevard, Montepulciano, Mantova...). He holds a busy chamber music schedule, partnering with Christian Tetzlaff, Nicolas Altstaedt, Carolin Widmann, Pekka Kuusisto, Klaus Thunemann, Sergio Azzolini, Anneleen Lenaerts, Maximilian Hornung and the Danish, Vertavo, Zaïde and Noûs Quartets.
Tommaso Lonquich can be heard on a number of CD releases by Ensemble MidtVest and Plural Ensemble (DaCapo, CPO, NovAntiqua, Col Legno), as well as on live broadcasts by national radios around the world.
In his latest album, MOONWALK, he partners with his father, pianist and conductor Alexander Lonquich, with whom he explores the theme of musical inheritance through masterpieces by Brahms, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Busoni and Reger.
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
"Viennese friendships"
Archduke Rudolph of Austria, Clarinet Trio in Bb (22')
Arvo Pärt, Mozart-Adagio (6')
Mozart, Kegelstatt Trio in Eb (20’)
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Haydn, Piano Trio in D Major Hob XV no.7 (13')
Beethoven, Piano Trio in Eb op. 1 no. 3 (30’)
"Around Clara Schumann: Creator and Muse"
Robert Schumann, Adagio and Allegro for cello and piano op. 70
Clara Schumann, Trio for clarinet, cello and piano op. 17
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Johannes Brahms, Sonata for clarinet and piano op. 120 no. 1 or 2
Robert Schumann, "Fairy Tales" for clarinet, cello and piano op. 132
"Beethoven's Spell"
Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
Per Norgaard, "Spell" for clarinet, cello and piano
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Beethoven, Trio in E-flat major, Op.38 for clarinet, cello and piano
“Milestones”
Beethoven, Trio in B-flat major, Op.11 for clarinet, cello and piano
Per Norgaard, "Spell" for clarinet, cello and piano
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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
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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)
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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
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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”
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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.
Repertoire
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
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