Ernst Ottensamer (5 October 1955 – 22 July 2017) was an Austrian classical

clarinetist This article lists notable musicians who have played the clarinet. Classical clarinetists * Laver Bariu * Ernest Ačkun * Luís Afonso * Cristiano Alves * Michel Arrignon * Dimitri Ashkenazy * Kinan Azmeh * Alexander Bader * Carl Baermann * ...

Early life

Born in Wallern an der Trattnach in

Upper Austria Upper Austria (german: Oberösterreich ; bar, Obaöstareich) is one of the nine states or of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, a ...

, Ottensamer's father, also named Ernst Ottensamer, was a former mayor of Wallern. Ottensamer studied the clarinet at the Bruckner-Konservatorium in

Linz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846. In 2009, it was a European Capital of ...

. He continued his studies in Vienna at the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university located in Vienna, established in 1817. With a student body of over three thousa ...

(''Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Wien''), where he completed his studies in 1979. His teachers included

Peter Schmidl Peter Schmidl (born 10 January 1942) is an Austrian clarinetist. Schmidl was born in Olomouc, Czech Republic, and studied clarinet with Rudolf Jettel at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. He was the principal clarinetist of the ...

Career

Ottensamer joined the orchestra of the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August S ...

in 1979. He became principal clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in 1983. He joined the faculty of the ''Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Wien'' in 1986, and subsequently attained the title of ''Universitätsprofessor'' (University Professor) in 2000. He was a founder-member of such chamber ensembles as the ''Wiener Bläserensemble'' (Vienna Wind Ensemble), ''Wiener Virtuosen'', and the ''Wiener Solisten Trio''. His elder son Daniel Ottensamer (born 26 July 1986) became co-principal clarinetist with the Vienna Philharmonic alongside his father, and his younger son

Andreas Ottensamer Andreas Ottensamer (born 4 April 1989) is an Austrian clarinettist and is one of the solo clarinettists of the Berlin Philharmonic. Life Born in Vienna, Ottensamer commenced his musical studies in 1999 at the University of Music and Performing ...

(born in 1989) is principal clarinetist of the

Berlin Philharmonic The Berlin Philharmonic (german: Berliner Philharmoniker, links=no, italic=no) is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world. History The Berlin Philharmonic was fo ...

. The three of them formed a clarinet ensemble, the Clarinotts. The Clarinotts' first album appeared in 2009, and their second album in 2016. Ivan Eröd composed a triple clarinet concerto for The Clarinotts, who premiered the work with the Vienna Philharmonic in January 2016. Ottensamer died after a heart attack on 22 July 2017. His widow Cecilia and his sons survive him.

References

External links

Official website of The Clarinotts

Sources

Liner notes to

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his opera ...

, Clarinet Concertos No.1 in F Minor and No.2 in E Flat Major, Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra in E Flat Major. Johan Wildner cond. Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic. Naxos 8.550378 1955 births 2017 deaths Austrian clarinetists Players of the Vienna Philharmonic People from Grieskirchen District {{clarinetist-stub