Mozart / Beethoven: Clarinet Concertos

Collins (Artist), Mozart (Composer), Beethoven (Composer), Pletnev (Conductor), Russian National Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Russian National Orchestra
• Conductor: Pletnev
• Composer: Mozart, Beethoven
• Audio CD (March 13, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B00004SDNZ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,190 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #86 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Reeds & Winds > Clarinet

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent first choice, March 30, 2001

By 

davidlaney (omaha, ne) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart / Beethoven: Clarinet Concertos (Audio CD)

The Mozart clarinet concerto is my favorite piece of music, and this recording may become the standard for me. I've had it in my car CD player for about a week and am struck each time I listen to it by how beautiful a recording this really is.

Concerning the the Pay/Hogwood recording which has been the standard classic for several years: Of course it is a very nice recording, and will continue to be a third choice for me. (Second is the fantastic 60's recording I have on cassette and conducted by George Szell). However, it's never been my favorite, partly because the sticking of the keys on Mr. Pay's basset clarinet are so LOUD, but also because their seems to my ear to be little to no feeling in the playing. The version at hand is also played on a basset (read: period) clarinet, but especially in the middle movement, the feeling is overwhelming.

The Beethoven concerto, originally for violin, is also outstanding and a real treat for clarinet lovers. There are things you can do on a violin you can't on a clarinet, but the whole thing has been transcribed by Pletnev, who went to great lengths to moderate the great length of the original violin line.

I strongly recommend this CD.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great CD. Fun transcription, May 25, 2005

By 

Donald G. Hite III "clarinetist extraordinaire!" (Houston, Tx USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mozart / Beethoven: Clarinet Concertos (Audio CD)

This is a wonderful recording that everyone should hear! I've only heard 2 recordings of Michael Collins, but from what I've heard so far, he has a really great sound (dark and centered, very clear) and excellent technique.

Collin's Mozart is well done, though he doesn't really "break any new ground" (of course, the piece is so well known and widely recorded that there isn't really anything new he could have done, even if he tried). The only thing that annoys me is that there is a certain spot in the central section of the middle movement where Collins (who is playing a basset clarinet) plays a passage in the range normally employed by the A clarinet. I realize this is a minor detail, but the thing I like best about the piece on basset is that in the slow movement, there passages in the middle section right before the return of the original melody which are normally changed for the A clarinet, but are much better when played in what is supposedly the original range on basset. This is the part I look forward to when listening to the slow movement. I was a little disappointed to hear that he left one of the passages in the altered state, although his instrument could play the lower notes... However, this is just a reflection of my personal tastes, and not any shortcoming on Collin's part.

The Beethoven is wonderful, and Collins does a great job. The only problem I find (and this is entirely my own problem) is that since the piece is 1) a HUGE piece in the violin repertoire that I am very familar with and 2) very difficult and contains some passages that are entirely out of character for the clarinet (such as passage where breathing is almost impossible, or awkward technical things) I am constantly aware that the piece is NOT a clarinet concerto, which is somewhat distracting. Collins pulls off the harder spots very well, and they sound good. I just can't help thinking about the technical aspects of the transcription, rather than just sitting back and enjoying the music. However, as I said, this is just me being unable to turn off that nagging voice in my head and just enjoy (I think that this would be much less of an issue if you didn't know the violin version so well).

Overall, this is a great CD. Collin's Mozart could probably stand up to any other version on the market (although Antony Pay's is my personal favorite). The Beethoven is an ambitious undertaking, and I think it is entirely successful (both from a musical and technical standpoint). Enjoy!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superlative performances of these sublime works, November 22, 2002

By 

John McKenzie (Lancashire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mozart / Beethoven: Clarinet Concertos (Audio CD)

Forget any reservations you may have regarding the transcription of Beethoven's masterpiece - it is truly wonderful, sounding both lyrical and beautiful on the clarinet. Michael Collins performs the definitive Mozart Clarinet Concerto. This is simply the greatest reading of this work that I have ever heard. If you only buy one cd in this lifetime, this has to be the one!