Mozart
Mozart 1791 – Clarinet Concerto; Arias etc
Pierre Génisson (clarinet); Karine Deshayes (mezzo-soprano); Concerto Köln/Jakob Lehmann
Erato 5419773233 57:20 mins
This is interesting, and sometimes much more than interesting – though it’s probably best to draw a veil over the grim Requiem adaptation for multi-racked clarinets and what sounds like a jumbo-sized electronic celesta. When Mozart heard clarinettist Anton Stadler, it was the vocal quality of his playing that impressed him as much as Stadler’s agility and virtuoso élan. Hearing arias from and arranged for clarinet, finely played by Pierre Génisson, is a reminder of how close to the human voice this instrument can come, to the point where it’s almost possible to forget the originals – almost, that is. Then, in the three numbers from , the clarinet competes so effectively with mezzo Karine Deshayes that in the more restrained passages it more or less steals the show.
