Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 & Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581

Album review

First released in 1991 and reissued in 2004, this CD of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and the Clarinet Quintet is fair in most regards except for the featured soloist's quirky playing. Richard Stoltzman's fans may like this disc in spite of its problems, especially if they are more interested in clarinet technique than in Mozart's music. But others may sense that he has little understanding of the composer or Classical style, and that these interpretations are superficial and whimsical, rather than deeply felt or carefully considered. The Clarinet Concerto is particularly disappointing, for it lacks charm or beauty, but it positively overflows with Stoltzman's ostentation. His tone is highly varied, and he seems to simulate expression through excessive rubato and fluctuating dynamics; and his unusual ornamentation draws attention to his playing much more than it enhances Mozart's lines. The English Chamber Orchestra is adequately involved, but Stoltzman conducts with little attention to clarity and balance, so the accompaniment is often flat and indistinct. The Clarinet Quintet is marginally better, and Stoltzman seems less taken with himself under the Tokyo String Quartet's close scrutiny. Even so, this is a fairly saccharine reading with too much vibrato, and serious Mozarteans will find it unappetizing. RCA's recording is clear but unexceptional.

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