Pierre Genisson - Weber & the Clarinet: Complete Works (CD)

"Weber was the composer who truly established the clarinet as a major virtuoso instrument while revealing it's uniquely expressive and poetic qualities," says Pierre Génisson, praised by Gramophone for his "searching eloquence" and the "magical sweetness and clarity" of his playing. A tribute to Carl Maria von Weber on the 200th anniversary of his death (aged just 39) in June 1826, this 2CD set brings together all the composer's works for clarinet as a solo and chamber instrument: the two concertos and the concertino for clarinet, recorded with the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg and conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy; the Grand Duo Concertant and the Variations on a theme from the opera Silvana, both with pianist Frank Braley, and, in a recording first released in 2017, the Quintet for clarinet and string quartet with the New York-based Quartet 212 - a performance praised by the Sunday Times as "chamber playing of the highest order".

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73, J. 114: I. Allegro
2. Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73, J. 114: II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
3. Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73, J. 114: III. Rondo. Allegretto
4. Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74, J. 118: I. Allegro
5. Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74, J. 118: II. Romanze. Andante Con Moto
6. Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74, J. 118: III. Alla Polacca
7. Clarinet Concertino in E-Flat Major, Op. 26, J. 109: I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
8. Clarinet Concertino in E-Flat Major, Op. 26, J. 109: II. Andante
9. Clarinet Concertino in E-Flat Major, Op. 26, J. 109: III. Allegro
10. Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: I. Allegro
11. Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: II. Fantasia. Adagio
12. Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: III. Menuetto
13. Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: IV. Rondo. Allegro
14. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Thema. Andante Con Moto
15. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation I. Più Vivo
16. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation II. Con Grazia
17. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation III. Molto Adagio, Quasi Fantasia
18. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation IV. Animato E Con Fuoco
19. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation V. Allegro Animato, Con Fuoco
20. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation VI. Lento
21. Variations on a Theme from Silvana in B minor, Op. 33, J. 128: Variation VII. Allegro
22. Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48, J. 204: I. Allegro Con Fuoco
23. Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48, J. 204: II. Andante Con Moto
24. Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48, J. 204: III. Rondo. Allegro