Concerto No. 3 B-flat major

German composer Carl Stamitz wrote more than 60 concertos for Violin, Viola, Viola d'amore, Cello, Clarinet, Basset Horn, Flute, Bassoon and other instruments. Some of the Clarinet and Viola concertos that Stamitz composed are considered to be among the finest available from the period. Stylistically, Stamitz's music is not too far removed from the works of the young Mozart, or those of Haydn's middle period.

The Clarinet Concerto No. 3 was likely written around 1785, which was the same year that Stamitz was appointed the lead Violin of the Duc de Noailles in Paris. The style of thisconcerto reflects the usual orchestration found in the mid-eighteenth century, where most of the important musical material was given to the strings, while the winds were left to fill in the harmony. Carl Stamitz's style is pleasant and free-flowing as nicely illustrated in this concerto.