Mozart: Clarinet Works

Album review

Clarinetist Raphaël Sévère presents this album as "a return to the artist's life, a rebirth," in the perfect French word, a réjouissance. The album marked his return to recording after an accident and also the restarting of concert life in France after the worst stages of the COVID-19 pandemic had passed. Sadly, it may also have gained attention for being one of the last recordings of Lars Vogt, who here conducts the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. Whatever the balance of factors, the result is an exceptionally lively performance of these two Mozart standards. Sévère properly plays the Larghetto movement of the Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581, at a moderate tempo, not matching the Adagio slow movement of the Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, and the results are magical. His interactions with the Quatuor Modigliani throughout the entire Quintet represent chamber music playing at the highest level. The Clarinet Concerto is not quite as perfect, with even the "chamber orchestra" slightly overpowering the music (and not helped by the oversized sound environment of the Philharmonie de Paris), but Sévère's playing itself is electric, often taking just the slightest bit of extra time to bring out an unexpected melodic turn. A wonderful return to recording life.
© James Manheim /TiVo