Richard Strauss began composing his Duet Concertino in 1947, just two years before his death. It was his last instrumental work with orchestra. Unlike other concertos or concertini, Strauss's Duet Concertino is more narrative in nature, featuring a dialogue between the clarinet and bassoon.
The idea for the Duet Concertino for clarinet, bassoon, and string orchestra originated during his trip to England. On his return journey in October, Strauss sketched several drafts, which he described as "good sketches"—always a good sign with this composer! The composition was completed by the end of November.
The orchestration is reminiscent of the world of the Baroque concerto grosso: five principal players frequently take on solo roles, and seven soloists face the orchestra, augmented by a harp. The work's formal structure is unusual: the fragmented first movement, which gives the clarinet the leading role, is followed without a break by the second, which appears incomplete but focuses on the bassoon. These two short movements are completely overshadowed by the eloquent rondo that follows, which gives equal weight to both soloists.
The Duett-Concertino employs the post-Romantic musical language that Strauss never abandoned: he never felt that historical imperatives should compel him to embrace atonality. His modernity lay in rejecting Wagner's influence.
Some scholars believe that this dialogic compositional style was the primary reason Strauss chose the title "Duett-Concertino." Programmatic analyses examine the piece's musical gestures, which, combined with clues in sketches and letters, suggest a story about a prince and princess. There are indications that Strauss intended the Duett-Concertino to follow a programmatic design based on Hans Christian Andersen.