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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!
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frogman
7,457 posts
 
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
audphile1's avatar
audphile1 OP
5,183 posts
 
I just ordered bunch of the stuff recommended here. Can't wait to get it!

Also, I just aquired 2 of the Sabine Meyer recordings on EMI:
1)Weber-Clarinet Concerto Nos.1 & 2, Concertino and Clarinet Quintet
2)Mozart Clarinet Concerto K622, Claud Debussy Premiere Rapsodie, Toru Takemitsu -Fantasmo/Cantos(EMI). What makes this particular recording interesting is the fact that the 3 works performed here are very different. K622 sounds really nice on this recording. It is played on the basset-horn.

Frogman, I read the threads. Great info. I will look into some of it. Thanks!
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audphile1 OP
5,183 posts
 
Got following:
1) Harold Wright with Peter Serkin - Brahms Sonatas and Schumann Fantasy Pieces. This is an excellent CD and I really like Wright's sound and playing. Thanks Dupzyk for recommending this cd.

2) David Shifrin and Carol Rosenberg also Brahms and Schumann. While it is very good, I certainly like Harold Wright's playing a bit more than Shifrin's. Both are great musicians...just a slight preference towards Wright's style.

3) Mozart and Brahms clarinet quintets - Wright w/Boston Symphony Chamber Players. Really good.

4) Copland Clarinet Concerto with Stanley Drucker w/Bernstein and NYP. Excellent as well.

5) Schubert's The Shepherd on the Rock with Harold Wright. Great piece.
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Opalchip may be well be right about Michaelson's Clarinet playing....I just liked the recording that is all. I don't think I ever got skilled enough at Clarinet to recognize a great player from simply a very good one. Just my two cents...
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audphile1 OP
5,183 posts
 
Shadorne,
I tried to look for this cd and the only way for me to hear it is to buy it. I kind of suspected that this would be more of a recording statement than anything.
That's the reason why I didn't go crazy trying to find it.
Thanks for the recommendation though.

Lately I've been paying more attention to a performance than a recording quality when purchasing a classical cd.
I really like a good quality recording as well, but unfortunately the combo of good musicianship/recording can be tough to come by among the new or recent realeses sometimes and that mostly leaves the older recordings to be explored.

If you want to hear a very good Mozart Clarinet Concerto try Sabine Meyer. For a Clarinet Quintet, I really liked a recording with Harold Wright. Sabine Meyer also has a recording of the Quintet on EMI but I haven't heard it, although I am pretty confident it must be quiet good.

Speaking of new releases, there is an interesting CD that just hit the stores recently - "Krommer: Double Clarinet Concerto; Spohr: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 2 & 4" with Sabine Meyer and Julian Bliss. I am looking to pick it up next week.
Here is a sneak peak on youtube if you are interested.
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