Introduzione, Tema e Variazioni per clarinetto e piccolo orchestra is written in the spirit of Italian bel canto, eminently lyrical, ornamented and virtuosic. It is based on two themes from immediately preceding operas, a “recycling” that may seem surprising but is not uncommon in Rossini.
It consists of an introduction, a theme and its four variations.

The introduction, Andante maestoso, takes its theme from the aria “La pace mia smarrita” in Act 2 of the opera “Mosè in Egitto” (1818).

The spiritual theme that follows, Allegretto, is taken directly from the aria “Oh quante lagrima finor versai” from act 1 of the opera “La Donna del Lago” (1819). It is followed by a brief orchestral ritornello that will be found again, with minor variations, punctuating the following three variations.

Variation 1:
Diminished in triplets, the theme is first articulated with a witty alternation of detached and tied, underscoring its wiggly, comical character.
Following a pattern repeated in each variation, it is structured in 2 times 8 repeated bars. Note that the ritornello is also in triplets.

Variation 2:
The theme is then diminished by the clarinet in capricious sixteenth notes.
Same form with sixteenth-note repeats as before, but with a sixteenth-note ritornello very similar to the one proposed in the theme, but somewhat amplified.

Variation 3:
Here, the theme is varied into large, detached sixteenth-note arpeggios in the first part and conclusion, and linked descending chromatic scales in the central part.
Same form with double repeats and ritornello strictly identical to that of the previous variation.

Variation 4:
A minor variation that breaks with the uniqueness of tempo by adopting a Largo movement, in which Rossini achieves the tour de force of rendering our facetious theme utterly desperate and poignant. At its conclusion, it takes the orchestra just a few bars to gradually rekindle the flame in a beautiful and skilful crescendo transition that reinstates the major mode.

Variation 5:
A return to the theme's initial major mode and tempo for a virtuoso final variation in sixteenth notes leading, after 2 brief codas interspersed with snatches of ritornello, to a clarinet cadenza immediately followed by an abrupt orchestral conclusion which, in the pure Italian operatic tradition, is covered by the audience's applause for the soloist.
NB: The medley cadence presented here is simply a personal suggestion. Depending on usage, you are of course free to substitute a cadence of your own composition.

Frédéric Cellier

The son of musicians (his father played the French horn and his mother sang in fairground opera troupes), he taught himself singing and harmony in Bologna, under the tutelage of Abbé Mattei.
At the age of 18, he had his first opera buffa, “La Cambiale di matrimonio”, performed in Venice, soon to be followed by similar works (“L'Inganno felice”, “L'Occasione fa il ladro”...). By the age of 20, three of his operas had already been performed, and a year later the number had risen to ten.
In 1813, the premiere of “Tancrède”, also in Venice, opened the door to success and made him the undisputed master of the Italian operatic stage for many years to come. Works followed in rapid succession: “The Barber of Seville” and “Otello” in 1816, “La Cenerentola” and “Armide” in 1817, “La Donna del lago” in 1819, “Maometto II” in 1821, “Semiramis” in 1823... Between 1818 and 1822, he was artistic director of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.
From 1824, he settled in Paris. He was appointed head of the Théâtre Italien, a position he held for two years, then Premier Compositeur du roi and Inspecteur général du chant en France. “Le Voyage à Reims” premiered at the Théâtre Italien on the occasion of the coronation of Charles X. Rossini reused some of the music in “Le Comte Ory” in 1828. His last opera, “Guillaume Tell”, premiered at the Paris Opéra on August 3, 1829, was a triumph.
In 1830, he gave up composing operas. He still composed a Stabat Mater, commissioned by a Spanish prelate, and a number of occasional pieces, as well as numerous chamber works, collected in a series of collections entitled “Péchés de vieillesse”, often tinged with humor.
From 1836 to 1848, he lived in Italy, before settling permanently in France, where he died in 1868.

Along his university studies (DEA in musicology, University of Paris IV-Sorbonne), Frédéric Cellier was awarded three first prizes and a development prize at the CNR of Nice and won first prize at the International Competition of Musical Execution - soloist category – of Stresa (Italy).
He is the laureate of the Fondation de France and the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and accredited teacher at the CNR of Nice, the CNR of Marseille, and at the CRR Olivier Messiaen of Avignon (France).
Frédéric Cellier is the interpreter of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet Bb and piano with Jean-Michel Damase, Jean Françaix or Gabriel Tacchino, but also performs his own version for clarinet, piano and string orchestra of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue for Wynton Marsalis or under the baton of Adrian Gershwin, grandson of the composer.
Founder and artistic director of STRADIVARIUS Editions, he is the author of pieces of light music and a considerable number of arrangements in all styles and for all instruments acclaimed by numerous personalities in the music world:

"Frédéric Cellier has produced a number of adaptations of Georges Auric's works with such talent and precision that I consider them a natural addition to his chamber music catalogue."
Michèle AURIC - Georges Auric's widow

"To Frédéric Cellier, excellent musician and tireless arranger."
Jean FRANÇAIX - Composer and pianist

"Arranging a musical work is always a delicate and risky exercise, because it requires both modifying it so that it can be played by the desired instruments and preserving its very essence. But that is exactly what Frédéric Cellier has done, preserving the nuances, subtleties and soul of the original works while breathing new life into them.
His arrangements give all the musicians the chance to perform these compositions specially revisited for their instrument, and make music lovers rediscover them in a new light."
Adrian GERSHWIN - George Gershwin’s grandson

"Congratulations for your beautiful new orchestration and rendition of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue."
Wynton MARSALIS - Trumpet player, composer, bandleader, general and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York

"It is outstanding that Frédéric Cellier has managed to transpose Saxophone Marmalade from the saxophone to the clarinet. I thank him for it and wish its great and deserved success. "
Manuel ROSENTHAL - Conductor, composer and Maurice Ravel’s pupil

"I am very happy to tell you how much I appreciated your transcription of the Capriccio, based on Francis Poulenc's Le Bal Masqué. It perfectly reflects the spirit and verve of the score for two pianos that I had the opportunity to play and record with Jacques Février, and it was a great pleasure for me to premiere it in Montpellier."
Gabriel TACCHINO - Pianist, Francis Poulenc’s specialist

"I must tell you that I really like your transcriptions and that I think the tone of the instruments you have chosen suits perfectly our beloved composer."
Ornella VOLTA - Musicologist, president of the Erik Satie’s Foundation