The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Important Brahms Recording

Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-05-30 01:25

Lorenzo Coppola and Andreas Staier have recorded the two Brahms Sonatas on Harmonia Mundi 902187. The CD also contains Sechs Klavierstücke, Op. 118.

Coppola plays a Schwenk & Seggelke copy of Mühlfeld's Ottensteiner clarinet, and Staier plays an 1875 Steinway. It's not clear from the photo, but it appears to be about 7' long and the bass is not overstrung.

The interpretation is very different from those on modern instruments. Coppola produces many tone colors and phrases beautifully, much more freely than in modern performances. The two instruments balance perfectly. Coppola and Staier play with the phrasing constantly, to excellent effect, at least for me.

It's a recording that demands to be heard.

Ken Shaw

Reply To Message

Re: Important Brahms Recording

Author: TJTG
Date: 2015-05-30 18:35

Thank you Ken for recommending this recording. I couldn't believe my ears. For a long time I have been drawn to the Jon Manasse and Nakamatsu recording, but Coppola and Staier really did something special with these. The musicality within this recording is really outstanding. I was surprised on so many levels. The transitions between phrases and blending between voices was really incredible.

You mention that modern performances would not likely have such free playing, which I totally agree. Do you have any idea why though? I have studied a great deal of Brahms' music and there are so many anecdotes about his emphasis for freedom of choice when it comes to tempo and interpretation. Regarding tempo I recall these two things:

-Brahms would change his own tempos from one day to another, and when asked by an orchestra member why he said something along the lines of "That was the tempo that felt right yesterday, why would I use it today?"

-I was taught in his orchestral pieces to never give any two melodies/themes the same tempo. You'll never have 1 tempo in any movement... the music demands change.

With that in mind, and with so many people having said some variation of this, why do you think so many modern recordings are so rigid and lacking in fluidity? This recording seems to be one of the best examples of what Brahms music wants, and what Brahms himself would have wanted. We put so much emphasis on the Mozart Concerto to be "in the correct style for the period", but so many people just seem to simply throw down Brahms without the same consideration.

Thanks again!

Reply To Message

Re: Important Brahms Recording

Author: seabreeze
Date: 2015-05-30 18:37

Older instrument designs often have a glow and hue not found on modern ones, judging from a performance I heard on one of Henry Lazarus's clarinets. Might be interesting to compare the Coppola performance with a recent one by Andraes Ottensamer on a modern Oehler clarinet (a Johanna Kronthaler with a Kuckmeier mouthpiece, I believe):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyF6mvt-61g,

Post Edited (2015-05-30 20:50)

Reply To Message

Re: Important Brahms Recording

Author: MartyMagnini
Date: 2015-05-30 21:42

Ken,

I really enjoyed the performances - thanks for sharing! I personally loved the free interpretation of the pieces

Reply To Message

Re: Important Brahms Recording

Author: PaulIsaac
Date: 2015-05-31 03:40

This is a remarkable recording that will definitely bear repeated listens. Thank you for alerting us to it Ken.

Reply To Message

Avail. Forums | Threaded View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

The Clarinet Pages

For Sale
Put your ads for items you'd like to sell here. Free! Please, no more than two at a time - ads removed after two weeks.