Khayyam op. 36

The title of the work refers to the Persian poet, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyam who lived during the eleventh century and was one of the greatest scholars of his time. The threemovement clarinet concerto depicts stages and themes associated with his life: childhood and adolescence, scholarship, religious criticism and additionally his love for his wife which Khayyam expressed with exceptional frankness in his poetry. This piano reduction is intended for performances with clarinet and piano, too.