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Brahms: Chamber music for Clarinet - Ruiz Ferreres, Berner, Ishizaka, Mandelring Quartett

Brahms: Chamber music for Clarinet - Ruiz Ferreres, Berner, Ishizaka, Mandelring Quartett

Audite  91.662 (2 discs)

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Chamber


Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas, Clarinet Trio, Clarinet Quintet

Laura Ruiz Ferreres (clarinet)
Christoph Berner (piano)
Danjuio Ishizaka (cello)
Mandelring Quartett


This recording of the complete chamber music works for clarinet by Johannes Brahms is presented with first rate interpreters: Laura Ruiz Ferreres, one of the most gifted clarinettists of her generation, and pianist Christoph Berner. Internationally renowned cellist Danjulo Ishizaka and the Mandelring Quartet complete the superb line -up of instrumentalists for this recording.

At the end of his career, when he had already made his will, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was enthused by an instrument which was mainly familiar as an indispensable component of the romantic orchestra: the clarinet. However, ever since the days of Mozart or Carl Maria von Weber, chamber music for clarinet had been some what neglected. If it had not been for Richard Mühlfeld, the exceptionally gifted virtuoso of the Meiningen Court Orchestra, who was the source of inspiration for four chamber music works for clarinet between 1891 and 1894, Brahms might never again have written any music.

Yet the melancholy North German composer always held a predilection for the noble middle register and the expressive "speaking" tone of the clarinet, of which he makes full use in all four works.Whilst the Trio Op. 114 with piano and cello has always been regarded as a subtly constructed work for connoisseurs, the Quintet Op. 115 with the accompaniment of a string quartet is a miraculous blending of sound and passionate lyricism. Alongside the Clarinet Sonatas Op.120, these late chamber works with clarinet constituted a veritable renaissance which continues to the present day.

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Review by John Broggio - June 7, 2013

Rather incredibly, this is (for all except the clarinet quintet) Audite's second release of Brahms' chamber music involving the clarinet on SACD (the earlier release is Brahms: 2 Clarinet Sonatas, Clarinet Trio - Campbell, Renzi, Meyer, Raclot).

In the clarinet sonatas, apart from fellow artists on the label, Laura Ruiz Ferreres is also up against very strong competition as heard here: Brahms: 2 Clarinet Sonatas, Clarinet Trio - Fröst, Pöntinen, Thedéen. Unlike Roland Pöntinen on BIS, Christoph Berner takes a rather more foursquare approach to Brahms' writing and at times sounds rather at odds with Ruiz Ferreres in respect of the phrasing within the longer lines, even if the longer paragraphs are winningly unified. Where the trio was a relative weak point for Fröst, the addition of Danjuio Ishizaka seems to galvanise Berner into a more freely rhapsodic style which is entirely at the benefit of the music.

The best is saved until last where Ruiz Ferreres is finally accompanied by musicians of similar calibre when the Mandelring Quartett join her in the autumnal quintet. Here the perfection of Grieg: String Quartet / Brahms: Clarinet Quintet - Widmann / Hagen Quartett is married to a mood more recognisable in Brahms: String Quartet No. 1 - Pražák Quartet. The playing here is masterly and engages the listener on a profound and involving emotional journey; it is not unwarranted flattery to suggest that this is on a similar level of that achieved by Reginald Kell and the Busch Quartet several generations previously. Many collectors will have their cherished account & this version has every possibility of joining the likes of Reginald Kell & the Busch Quartet (and in sound that bears almost no relation to the otherwise wonderful pre-WW2 account).

The sound is consistently rich and well balanced (internally and with respect to the listener); despite the changes in ensemble, the picture painted is consistent and makes no effort to disguise or highlight the textural differences; instead an honest, simple portrait of the performances is conveyed.

Recommended strongly for the Quintet, the Trio is good but for those primarily interested in the Sonata's, Fröst is a safer bet (but not safer pair of hands!)

Star ratings: sonata's (3), trio (3.5-4), quintet (5); weighted average (3.5-4)

Copyright © 2013 John Broggio and HRAudio.net

Sonics (Multichannel):

stars