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Reviews: Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas & Trio - Fröst, Pöntinen, Thedéen

Reviews: 4

Site review by Polly Nomial December 10, 2005
Performance:   Sonics:    
The text for this review has been moved to the new site. You can read it here:

http://www.HRAudio.net/showmusic.php?title=3454#reviews

Review by nickc January 28, 2006 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
Three late, radiant clarinet masterpieces from Brahms in a very generous 67' coupling.

The first sonata is dramatic, the second melting and mellifluous - both around 20' long.

The trio is the darkest and perhaps greatest work on this disc - what a lovely combination piano cello and clarinet is! The playing in all three pieces is absolutely impeccable.

The sound in MC is excellent yet I have to raise like I did in my review of Frost's Mozart BIS disc that when the volume level rises from Frost you can hear a hissing from the clarinet. I have only ever heard clarinets live in orchestral settings so obviously it is just how the air moves through the instrument, yet it is there nonetheless.

In comparison I put on a Philips Duo of George Pieterson and Hepzibah Menuhin playing these self-same sonatas and I couldn't really hear the hissing - I suppose there can be slight downsides to the greater clarity of SACD! In all other respects (especially the sound of the piano) the sound of this BIS disc is immeasurably superior - and of course the 90% of the time there is no hissing Frost's tone is limpid and beautiful.

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Review by jmvilleneuve March 26, 2006 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
I already own an SACD showcasing Martin Fröst playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and Quintet (with strings). Despite a nice sound and virtuoso level technique I did not like this recording because I found his approach to the music much too cold and technical.

Here there is no trace of these problems with the exception of a single (slow) movement. Maybe the clarinet player has gained in maturity, or has simply a better relationship with Brahms music.

This is rare with me (because I hate dry, close sound take recordings) but in the 2 sonatas I think the sound take is a little bit too far away and reverberant. The clarinet sound loose a bit of body.

But in the trio the recording is a bit closer and perfect (for my own taste).

In terms of playing I was particularly impressed by the way the piano and clarinet player follow the numerous nuances written in the score. Also I really like the romantic piano playing of Roland Pöntinen. In certain ways his piano sings better than the clarinet.

Similarly the trio is very well played with a very good balance between the sound of the 3 players. Here I can hear exactly where each musician his positioned. The playing is very dramatic and again the musicians are very careful to follow dynamics indication. My favorite part is the end of the first movement with the inversed arpegios at the cello and clarinet.

The only small problem is the heavy breathing by the cellist. As for the hissing sound, this is air blowing through the corner of the clarinet player mouth. This is nearly unavoidable when playing really lound, but a beter embouchure (lip control) should minimize these problems. In other word the clarinet player could do better with this.


For a more complete review (and others)

http://www.geocities.com/jmserre/ENBrahmsFrost.html

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Review by terence April 14, 2006 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
a lovely disc, very fresh and unpretentious in spirit. sonically it's very good - a clear, uncluttered ambience, with good tonal fidelity to the instruments.

to be hypercritical there's just a TOUCH of smearing of the clarinet's instrumental image (especially in its warm middle range), probably due to a slight engineering miscalculation on controlling reverberation. this is also detectable as a SLIGHT (but only slight) blurring of some detail in the piano part in its busier sections. but these are small considerations. sound overall is very pleasing.

many felicitous touches in the interpretations, with no grandstanding or over-inflation stylistically. it's arguable that the pianist is a little TOO concessive here and there, but far better that than clangorously seeking attention. clarinettist martin fröst is consistently excellent.

a warm recommendation!

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