The concerto was the first of four that Spohr would compose in his lifetime, all of which were dedicated to the German clarinet virtuoso Johann Simon Hermstedt.
While Spohr was familiar with the range of the clarinet, he was not aware of its limitations and was willing to alter the score according to Hermstedt's advice.
However, Hermstedt liked the score the way it was and decided to alter his own instrument to be able to play the piece.
[1] Thus, the composition of the concerto could be seen as a driving factor in the clarinet's development throughout the 19th century.
Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, then the leading musical magazine in Germany, praised both the composer and the performer in its review: "As no composition whatever existed in which this excellent artist could display all the superiority of his playing, Herr Concertmeister Spohr of Gotha has written one for him; and, setting aside this special purpose, it belongs to the most spirited and beautiful music which this justly famous master has ever written.