Carl Baermann


Carl Baermann was a clarinetist and composer from Munich, Germany.

Life and career

He was the son of noted clarinet virtuoso Heinrich Baermann and. As a child he was taught the clarinet and the basset horn by his father. He played occasionally in the Munich court orchestra when he was 14 years old, and was appointed its second clarinetist in 1832. When his father retired in 1834, Carl succeeded his father as principal clarinetist. He held that position until he retired in 1880.
He toured Europe with his father in 1827, 1832 and 1838. In 1833 they premiered Felix Mendelssohn's Konzert Stücke, Opp. 113 & 114, to great acclaim. Carl Baermann's compositions, 88 opus numbers, were popular with clarinet virtuosos.
Baermann developed the Baermann-Ottensteiner key system for the clarinet, which was based on the Müller system. The system was very popular during the late 19th century, partly because of Baermann's Vollständige Clarinett-Schule, one of the leading methods for teaching the clarinet, written between 1864 and 1875.

Compositions

Concerto Militaire for clarinet and orchestra, Op. 6Fantaisie brillante for clarinet and piano, Op. 7Variations brillantes for clarinet and piano, Op. 8La nuit étoilée for clarinet and piano, Op. 13Duo Concertant for two clarinets and piano, Op. 33Conzertstück, for clarinet and piano/orchestra, Op. 44Travestie for clarinet and piano, Op. 45Conzertstück No. 1 for clarinet and piano/orchestra, Op. 49Vollständige Clarinett-Schule Opp. 63 and 64
  1. Historical and Theoretical, Op. 63
  2. Preparatory Studies, Op. 63
  3. Daily Studies, Op. 63
  4. Short Pieces, Op. 64
  5. Solos, Op. 64

Carl Baermann (son)

Carl Baermann had a son, also named, a pianist who studied his instrument at the Royal Bavarian Music School with Christian Wanner and Andreas Wohlmuth, and composition with Franz Lachner and Peter Cornelius in Munich. He later became a student and friend of Franz Liszt. He taught at the Royal Bavarian Music School, being made professor there in 1876. On 22 December 1881, he made his US debut as a pianist in Boston, where he remained active as a pianist and teacher. Among his students were Amy Beach, Lee Pattison, Frederick Converse, Dai Buell and George Copeland. He composed a number of works for piano solo and with orchestra; among his published works of the former include 12 Etüden, Op. 4 and Polonaise pathétique.