Clarinet Music on vinyl or CDs

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.

Opalchip, haven't heard that disc. I had actually no idea Michaelson played clarinet.
I have the K581 with Stoltzman. I really like the K581 Quintet, it's a beautiful piece along with the K622 Concerto on the same cd, and I liked Stoltzman's performance initially, but his excessive vibrato became a little annoying. I'll see if I can find a copy of Michaelson cd.

I'm really enjoying Thea King's Brahms Clarinet Quintet and Trio cd at this point.

I will be checking out more music that was suggested here. The tough part is finding these in stores. The selection of clarinet music is really poor in Borders and B&N, at least locally.

Please keep the recommendations coming.

Check out these threads.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1006543126&openusid&zzYu11375&4&5#Yu11375

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&984388491&openusid&zzNgm2001&4&5#Ngm2001