BaL 25.03.17 - Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A (K.622)

[BBMmk2]

I have the orchestra Mozart/Abbado with Carbonare. Yes I know Mozart!! :)

[mikealdren]

Nor sure whether it's still available but I have a version with Harmen de Boer with Lev Markiz and the New Sinfonietta Amsterdam (as well as Karl Leister and the "wobblers": Brymer and Johnson)

Mike

[verismissimo]

...
Returning to the huge list of recorded versions, I must say, they need to be re-categorised ( with all due respect to EA's herculean efforts!) into:
1) 'Modern' performances using a modern 'A' clarinet whose lowest note is a ( concert pitch) C# a 7th below 'middle C';
2) 'Modern' performances using a modern 'A' 'basset clarinet whose lowest note is A an octave and a minor 3rd below middle C;
3) 'HIPP' performances using a lower pitched (A =430) authentic 'A' basset clarinet (probably made of boxwood) whose lowest note is an A an octave and a minor 3rd below 'middle C'.

Within those 3 categories there must surely be further sub-categories of
A) 'Wobblers' and
B) 'Straight toned' players.
Oh dear, what a can of worms...!

My guess is that all in Tony's category 1 and category A will be tipped overboard at the outset. That'll make the list much more manageable!

Shame that Mark van de Wiel hasn't recorded it. He's a fine cat 2B player, for many years (and still) principal with the Philharmonia, the London Sinfonietta and Endymion.

[Hornspieler]

Thea King on the basset clarinet for me - though I have a longstanding love of the Brymer/Beecham no matter how " wrong it is . Joy Farrall's recording is very good too

Seeing Thea King's name reminds me of her husband Frederick (Jack) Thurston (for me, the greatest of them all)

Surely there must be a recording of his performance for inclusion in Alpie's list?

"Jack" and Thea used to give recitals together; each playing the piano for the other's performance.

As Professor of Clarinet at the RCM, he trained, coached and encouraged many of those clarinetists on Alpie's list.

I used to have his Mozart Concerto on a 78rpm disk. Does anyone remember it?

I'm sure that one of his star pupils, Colin Bradbury, would know.

[verismissimo]

I would select Emma Johnson and Jack Brymer as the no-go area. Both are blatant wobblers...

Careful, Alpie. Getting dangerously HIPP there ...

[mikealdren]

My guess is that all in Tony's category 1 and category A will be tipped overboard at the outset. That'll make the list much more manageable!

Not sure about wobblers but I'm sure Cat 1 will get a fair hearing. Ms Devonald is a Oboist and on previous occasions she has been a very balanced reviewer.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Careful, Alpie. Getting dangerously HIPP there ...

Now then; there's no need to be offensive.

[aeolium]

Thea King (basset-clarinet version) and Charles Neidich the soloists for me, though there are masses of recordings in EA's list I don't know and I look forward to this BaL. Nowadays I wouldn't listen to recordings of this work but only live performances and, like rfg, much prefer the basset-clarinet (either modern or period) as the solo instrument.

[verismissimo]

Not sure about wobblers but I'm sure Cat 1 will get a fair hearing. Ms Devonald is a Oboist and on previous occasions she has been a very balanced reviewer.

Cat 1 clarinettists simply can't play the music that Mozart wrote - and they are the majority in Alpie's list.

Gotta go!

[Bryn]

My guess is that all in Tony's category 1 and category A will be tipped overboard at the outset. That'll make the list much more manageable!

Shame that Mark van de Wiel hasn't recorded it. He's a fine cat 2B player, for many years (and still) principal with the Philharmonia, the London Sinfonietta and Endymion.

Also a shame that the first player I ever heard play it using an admittedly modern 'A' basset clarinet, Alan Hacker, did not record it, though thankfully he did record the quintet, and for that he used a category 3 instrument.

[silvestrione]

Also a shame that the first player I ever heard play it using an admittedly modern 'A' basset clarinet, Alan Hacker, did not record it, though thankfully he did record the quintet, and for that he used a category 3 instrument.

I heard him play the Clarinet Quintet in Bromsgrove in the early 80s. Sublime.

The family he was staying with overnight brought their little girl to the concert, and he added a Scottish folktune to the programme specially for her!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Cat 1 clarinettists simply can't play the music that Mozart wrote - and they are the majority in Alpie's list.

Gotta go!

We don't know what Mozart wrote. All we have is a copy in another hand, and a scrap of a version for basset clarinet in G. They may both be authentic - as are 2 versions of Symphony no. 40.

[BBMmk2]

We don't know what Mozart wrote. All we have is a copy in another hand, and a scrap of a version for basset clarinet in G. They may both be authentic - as are 2 versions of Symphony no. 40.

Sounds just as good on both!

[gurnemanz]

Thea King (basset-clarinet version)

... winner last time. (2006). I wonder if they'll find a different choice.

[Richard Barrett]

I suppose Elvis Presley would be placed in category 3(A), being a HIPP wobbler.