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Music
Crusell was a celebrated clarinettist who wrote music in order to show off his own considerable talents. He also inspired Weber to write for the clarinet.
(Contributed by Jane Louise Park <parkjl
wcmd.ac.uk>)
The town Nystad (in Swedish) - Uusikaupunki (in Finnish) - is in the southwest part of Finland. When Bernhard Crusell was born 1775 Finland was a Swedish region and Crusell’s language was Swedish.
(contributed by Bengt Centervad <bengt.centervadsebank.se>)
At least some of his music is in the possession of the Library of the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. He wrote 3 lovely quartets for clarinet, violin, viola and cello, which are among the best ensemble pieces for that grouping of instruments.
(Contribution by Bob Werner <renrewatt.net>)
Life
This is verbatim by Kurt Meier published in the score for Quartet in D major for clarinet, violin, viola, and cello published by Amadeus Verlag:
"Bernhard Henrik Crusell was born on 15 October 1775 in Uusikaupunki, Finland, the son of an impoverished bookbinder. Despite his early love of music, he was denied a scholastic and musical education. He learnt to play the clarinet in the home of regimental clarinet Westerberg. In 1788, two patrons enabled him to join a military band. In 1971, he followed Major Olof von Wallenstjerna to Stockholm where, not yet seventeen, the highly gifted boy was asked to conduct the music corps. In 1793, the famous Abbe G.J. Vogler, active as court conductor in Stockholm, appointed him first clarinettist in the court orchestra.
A study trip to Berlin in 1798 enabled him to perfect his clarinet playing with the great Franz Tausch. This was followed in 1803 by composition lessons with Fr.-J. Gossec and H.-M. Berton in Paris. After 1808, he rose to assistant capellmeister of the Swedish Court orchestra. In 1818, Crusell was appointed music director of the music corps of both royal regiments. He held this post for the rest of his life. He died in Stockholm on 28 July 1838."
(Contribution by Bob Werner <renrewatt.net>)