Born in Hall in Tirol, Austria, Robert Oberaigner is one of the most distinguished young clarinettists of his generation, equally at home with early and contemporary music. In addition to his post as principal clarinet at the Staatskapelle Dresden, he devotes himself to recent and brand-new works for clarinet, in both soloistic and chamber music contexts. In the early music word, he is in demand with numerous well established ensembles as a period-instrument player.

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News & Reviews

New recording of Max Reges’s clarinet sonatas

Reger: complete works for clarinet and piano – Oberaigner – Schöch

‘…an excellently recorded SACD. Robert Oberaigner and Michael Schöch create highly elegant interpretations which are rich in dynamic gradation.

Holger Arnold, Fono Forum, October 2016

‘… and this sonata is certainly persuasive, with its clear dramatic arcs and memorable, expressive melodies – especially when played by a chamber music virtuoso like Robert Oberaigner. He is not only principal clarinet with the Staatskapelle Dresden, but also frequently involved in contemporary and early music. These three sonatas are immediately captivating, with their serenity, yearning, exuberance and emotion. And the reasons are clear: first, Oberaigner coaxes the most refined colours out of his instrument; secondly, he and his pianist partner Michael Schöch play off against each other in just such a way that they merge into one. And thirdly, perhaps he feels more at home in this atmosphere than others because, being Tyrolean by birth, he loves the perfect beauty of mountains and sea, but has to forgo them almost all year round…’

Bernd Kliempnow, Sächsischen Zeitung, Dresden, 11.08.2016

‘…Robert Oberaigner, young principal clarinet in the Staatskapelle Dresden, and ARD-award winner Michael Schöch present this work of genius together with Sonata op. 107, and the way they do this should be enough to convert even the most hardened Reger sceptic… Op. 49 no. 1 is captivating from the very opening: Reger’s direction for the performers is ‘Allegro affannato’, and the way Oberaigner and Schöch catch that character, poised between ‘breathless’, ‘hunted’ and ‘sombre’, has to be heard to be believed… Reger’s third sonata… makes its impact in a quite different way… The first performance… must have been an overwhelming success. No wonder – just listen to the close of the first movement: the way Oberaigner and Schöch shape the ending as it dies away is fantastic. The two of them make the kind of chamber music dream team which is not found very often….’

Lisa Eranos, CLASS: aktuell, edition 3 / 2016

Concert highlights 2016-17

8 October 2017 – Max-Reger-Festival Weiden, final concert, the complete works for clarinet and piano with Michael Schöch, piano

14, 15 and 16 October 2017 – Semperoper Dresden, concerts with Staatskapelle Dresden directed by Donald Runnicles

29 October and 1 and 5 November 2017 – Semperoper Dresden, Richard Wagner: “Twilight of the Gods” directed by Christian Thielemann

10, 11 and 12 November 2017 – Semperoper Dresden, concerts with Staatskapelle Dresden directed by Alan Gilbert

13 – 20 November 2017 – Tour of China with Staatskapelle Dresden directed by Alan Gilbert

20 and 22 December 2017 – “Wandelkonzert” in Schloss Benrath – Düsseldorf. Brahms Clarinet-Quintet with the Alinde Quartet

9 January 2018 – Semperoper Dresden, chamber music by Marc Andre and Helmuth Lachenmann

Past concerts

17 September 2017 – Semperoper Dresden, chamber music by Conradin Kreutzer

Download Robert Obereigner’s 2017-18 schedule as PDF.

Robert Oberaigner – clarinet

Robert Oberaigner I

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Robert Oberaigner II

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Robert Oberaigner III

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Robert Oberaigner IV

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Sound clips & Videos

Max Reger: complete works for clarinet and piano – Oberaigner – Schöch, Dabringhaus & Grimm

Max Reger: Album Leaf, WoO II/13 – Andante con moto
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano A flat major, op. 49,1
Allegro affanato
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano F sharp minor, op. 49,2
Vivacissimo
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano B flat major, op 107
Adagio
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Tarantella OeO II/12 – Äußerst lebhaft
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

C. Penderecki: Prelude for clarinet solo
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet (live recording)

O. Messiaen: “Vocalise-Étude” op. 151
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, James Maddox – piano

O. Messiaen: “Abîme des oiseaux” from the “Quattuor pour la fin du temps” (3rd movement)

Robert Oberaigner – clarinet

Concertos with orchestra

Robert Oberaigner also plays classical and romantic concertos on period instruments at appropriate pitch, and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto on basset clarinet at modern pitch.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 

Clarinet Concerto in A major KV 622 (also on basset clarinet)

Carl Maria von Weber

Clarinet Concerto no. 1 in F minor, op. 73 J.114
Clarinet Concerto no. 2 in E flat major, op. 74 J.118
Concertino in E flat major for clarinet & orchestra, op. 26 J.109
Robert Oberaigner either plays the originals of Carl Maria von Weber’s concertos or Carl Baermann’s editing.

Louis Spohr

Clarinet Concerto no. 1 in C minor, op. 26
Clarinet Concerto no. 2 in E flat major, op. 57
Clarinet Concerto no. 3 in F minor, WoO 19
Clarinet Concerto no. 4 in E minor, WoO 20

Carl Nielsen

Clarinet Concerto, op. 57

Paul Hindemith

Clarinet Concerto (1947)

Pierre Boulez

Domaines for clarinet solo & 21 instruments (1968/9)

Luciano Berio / Johannes Brahms

Sonata in E flat major for clarinet & piano, op. 120, arranged for clarinet & orchestra (1986)

Fazil Say

Clarinet Concerto ‘Khayyam’ (2011)

Simone Fontanelli

Clarinet Concerto ‘C’era una volta un pezzo di legno’, dedicated to Robert Oberaigner (2016)

Concertos with string orchestra

Ferruccio Busoni
Concertino for clarinet, op. 48 (1919)
Aaron Copland

Clarinet Concerto (1947-49)

Gerald Finzi

Clarinet Concerto, op. 31 (1949)
Mátyás Seiber

Concertino for clarinet and strings (1951)

Berthold Goldschmidt

Clarinet Concerto (1953/54)

Mieczyslaw Weinberg

Clarinet Concerto, op. 104 (1970)

Download Robert Oberaigner’s repertoire list as PDF

Discography

Max Reger: complete works for clarinet and piano – Oberaigner – Schöch, Dabringhaus & Grimm

Max Reger: Album Leaf, WoO II/13 – Andante con moto
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano A flat major, op. 49,1
Allegrao affanato
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano F sharp minor, op. 49,2
Vivacissimo
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Sonata for clarinet and piano B flat major, op 107
Adagio
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano

Max Reger: Tarantella OeO II/12 – Äußerst lebhaft
Robert Oberaigner – clarinet, Michael Schöch – piano