Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, Clarinet Quintet

1	Clarinet Concerto in A ma
2	Clarinet Concerto in A ma
3	Clarinet Concerto in A ma
4	Clarinet Quintet in A maj
5	Clarinet Quintet in A maj
6	Clarinet Quintet in A maj
7	Clarinet Quintet in A maj
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, Clarinet Quintet
1.	Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622 29:39
	Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
	Performed by English Chamber Orchestra and Richard Stoltzman
	Conducted by Richard Stoltzman
2.	Clarinet Quintet in A major ("Stadler"), K. 581 34:00
	Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
	Performed by Richard Stoltzman and Tokyo String Quartet

Barnes & Noble

Mozart had a soft spot for the clarinet -- indeed, the music he wrote for the instrument is some of the most sublime that has ever been composed. Two of those works, the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, are paired on this lovely album, featuring soloist Richard Stoltzman. In the Concerto, the English Chamber Orchestra join the clarinetist in a beautifully phrased and flowing performance; the drawn-out lyrical phrases of the Adagio inspire Stoltzman and company to playing of great sensitivity and eloquence. The Quintet, aided by the Tokyo String Quartet, is the more intimate of the two works, yet it shares much with its cousin -- it's in the key of A Major, for starters, and features a similar opening melody, as well as passages of ineffable beauty. Stoltzman and the Tokyo offer a performance full of warmth and lilting grace -- a reading that earns a top recommendation among the several available versions. The recorded sound is full and detailed, spotlighting Stoltzman's singing style and big, beautiful tone. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

First released in 1991 and reissued in 2004, this CD of Mozart's "Clarinet Concerto" and the "Clarinet Quintet" is fair in most regards except for the featured soloist's quirky playing. Richard Stoltzman's fans may like this disc in spite of its problems, especially if they are more interested in clarinet technique than in Mozart's music. But others may sense that he has little understanding of the composer or Classical style, and that these interpretations are superficial and whimsical, rather than deeply felt or carefully considered. The "Clarinet Concerto" is particularly disappointing, for it lacks charm or beauty, but it positively overflows with Stoltzman's ostentation. His tone is highly varied, and he seems to simulate expression through excessive rubato and fluctuating dynamics; and his unusual ornamentation draws attention to his playing much more than it enhances Mozart's lines. The English Chamber Orchestra is adequately involved, but Stoltzman conducts with little attention to clarity and balance, so the accompaniment is often flat and indistinct. The "Clarinet Quintet" is marginally better, and Stoltzman seems less taken with himself under the Tokyo String Quartet's close scrutiny. Even so, this is a fairly saccharine reading with too much vibrato, and serious Mozarteans will find it unappetizing. RCA's recording is clear but unexceptional. Blair Sanderson