Customer Reviews

Fuchs/Weber: Clarinet Quintets

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Pedagogue and composer, Robert Fuchs [1847-1927], whose students included malcontent Mahler and wistful Hugo Wolf, and whose unjustly neglected chamber music is only now seeing the light of day, is one of the unfortunate Romantics who "didn't make it." In fact, there is so little of Fuchs' music available that any chance to hear a composition of his must be seized. His Clarinet Quintet, Op. 102, written, interestingly enough, in 1914, is still quite sweet on the emotional and lyrical midstream yearnings of the 19th century, its slow movements warmly autumnal, graceful and nostalgic, and very much indebted to his idol, Brahms. The work retains a glow that although not entirely incandescent is still luminescent and memorable, easily joining the rare few other great quintets for clarinet.

Weber [1786-1826] is a whole other ball of wax, and diametrically opposite Fuchs. For Carl Maria, the clarinet is an instrument to showcase, the quintet a perfect vehicle in which to do so, and the wink is now to Mozart, obviously. But it is only a wink; Weber is always his own man, and his penchant is towards overt virtuosity. The Clarinet Quintet, Op. 34, completed in 1815, exemplifies this. From the very opening of the dramatic Allegro, and even in the subtleties of the slow movement Fantasia, one can almost sense the composer's impatience to eagerly return to the thrill of musical dash and tickle. But it all works delightfully well, if not too deeply.

Clarinetist Paul Meyer plays beautifully in both works, balancing the emotional and virtuosi elements as needed--- no mean feat, especially in the Weber. The sonorous and supportive Carmina Quartet amply joins him in a recording that will bring much pleasure.

[Running time: 55:22]