Clarinet Music on vinyl or CDs


I got back into playing clarinet again after a long break. I try to practice when I have free time(unfortunately not that much).

Of course with this I have renewed my interest in clarinet music as well.

Trying to buy some clarinet recordings and discover the selection especially at the stores, is pretty poor.

So far I purchased:
Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A, K622 and Clarinet Quintet in A, K581 with Stoltzman;

French Works for Clarinet and piano(Saint-Saens, Devienne, Milhaud and Poulenc Sonatas) with Sabine Meyer,

The Essential Clarinet(Stravinsky Ebony Concerto, Corigliano Clarinet Concerto, Copland Clarinet Concerto) with Stoltzman.

I like Sabine Meyer's sound better than most of the Stoltzman's stuff(too much vibrato in his playing). Also, I highly recommend this cd I mentioned above. It is excellent as far as music and her playing is outstanding.

What would you recommend as good clarinet recordings? Vinyl or CD.

Looking for interesting suggestions to buy more music.

Chamber, solo, anything that may grab my attention.

As far as classical, I listen to anything from Mozart to Shostakovich.

Thanks in advance!
128x128audphile1
I can't believe it - I ran into that friend I mentioned this AM (which happens about once every 3 months), had coffee with him - and totally forgot to ask whether he had any copies left. I'M A MEATHEAD!!! I'll call him tonight and check.
Anthony Michelson playing Clarinet on Musical Fidelity's Clarinet Quintet K 581. This is the best recording I have heard of this very well known piece by Mozart.

Here is the website - I suggest you order the K 581 and find out how good it can really sound!! The bonus is that they have several Clarinet CD recorded specially in audiophile quality. You can clearly hear the sound of the register movement and of course breathing...as if you are right there with them!

Musical Fidelity
With all due respect, as everyone has different ears and different equipment - I also had the K581 lp and got rid of it because I found it to be a totally lackluster performance and just an OK recording.
I would like to recommend the cd also by Anthony Michaelson on the MF label of Weber Clarinet Quintet Opus 34, Barmann 3rd Clarinet Quintet Opus 23.
I think the cd Is really well recorded (to my ears anyway).
Oops! -
I didn't read the previous post carefully and didn't have time to write much detail as I was rushing out of the house for an appointment.

The lp which didn't impress me was the "K622" (Clarinet Concerto) produced (and hyped) by John Atkinson of Stereophile. I have not heard the K581, so can't say anything about that one.

My experience with K622 is the Vinyl, which was mastered from a discrete tape recording of the same performance, so possibly the SACD is better sonically - though I doubt it. My main beef is with the performance(s) anyway. I pretty much came to the opinion that Michaelson is a very good amateur player who happens to own Musical Fidelity, and has the resources to issue, and the industry friends to promote, his own vanity recordings. The playing is relatively faultless, but not of the interpretive level of a Stoltzman, Meyer, Drucker, Kell, Wlach, etc. There are HUNDREDS of working, real PROFESSIONAL clarinetists playing worldwide, and there's a reason only a handful have recording contracts - it ain't that easy to rise to the highest artistic levels (and/or they're not biggies in the Audio Industry).

Overly conservative conducting probably played a large part, too. The whole thing was so flat - I tried a number of times to change my attitude (since it's a nice package and I really wanted to justify keeping it), but I was not once able to listen through the whole disc due to boredom. I just saw no reason to keep this lp.

Anyway, that's my opinion on K622 - Since Audphile1 is a clarinet player himself, it would be interesting to hear his take if he has heard any of the Michaelson issues.