Klarinet Archive - Posting 000053.txt from 1996/04

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Clarinet CD's
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 03:01:34 -0500

Fred,

Although you didn't really answer my question definitively, you brought
up another wonderful point. I too have been enormously appreciative of
good orchestras on concerto recordings. Many of them really do seem like
they're going through the motions, and when I hear a good one, I'm very
impressed. I like the Marcellus recording of the Mozart very much, but
am as well enamored of Szell's shaping of the accompaniment. There have
been plenty of other recordings, IMO, where the soloist wasn't worth
listening to at all, but the orchestra was fantastic, so I just ignored the
soloist!

Neil

On Sun, 31 Mar 1996, Fred Jacobowitz wrote:

> Neil,
> As far as I know, Marcellus was never interested in the
> "authentic performance style" of old music. I like this recording mostly
> because the orchestra is so wonderful that even if the clarinet part
> isn't the most exciting playing (It is tasteful, and nicely phrased but
> rather one-dimensional, IMO), the piece is a joy to listen to. Too often
> orchestras accompanying soloists tend to go through the motions, leaving
> a performance flat. The Cleveland under Szell was famous for NOT doing
> that and this performance is a case in point.
>
> Fred Jacobowitz
>
> On Sat, 30 Mar 1996, Neil Leupold wrote:
>
> > Yes, the Marcellus/Szell recording of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto is on the
> > CBS "Great Performances" series, UPC 0746437810. I haven't checked my
Schwann
> > catalogue lately, but I would be surprised if this album is still in print.
> >
> > At the time of its release, I seem to remember it being touted as THE
American
> > model of style for that piece. I didn't actually hear that recording
> > until many years later, and I guess I must have fallen victim to the
> > hype. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be, although I still
> > liked it very much. By the time I heard it, I'd also heard Neidich's basset
> > clarinet recording with Orpheus, as well as one of Stoltzman's two or three
> > recordings of it (probably with the English Chamber Orchestra, or maybe
> > the Mostly Mozart Festival orchestra under Alexander Schneider, who I
> > believe has since passed away), plus DePeyer's, one of Leister's, and Andrew
> > Marriner's.
> >
> > Does anybody know what concept Marcellus had in mind when he made that
famous
> > recording? Did he have it in mind to adhere as closely as possible to
> > the performance practices of it's late 18th century genesis (short of
> > actually playing it on a basset clarinet)? Why was it considered a hallmark
> > among performances of that piece? Why is it, to this day, still somewhat
> > revered as a notable interpretation?
> >
> > Neil
> >
> >
> > On Sat, 30 Mar 1996, Cynthia Kay Matthews wrote:
> >
> > > Joel,
> > > If I were you, I would buy the Robert Marcellus recording of the Mozart
> > > concerto, played with the Cleveland Orchestra. It is truly outstanding.
> > > I think it is on the "Great Performances" label.
> > >
> > > Cindy Matthews
> > > Denton, TX
> > >
> >
>