Search - Mercadante, Farrall, Sinfonia :: Clarinet Concerto in B-Flat

Here are six works for clarinet by three Italian composers: Mercadante, Rossini, and Donizetti, all best known for their later operas. Each piece dates from the first two decades of the 19th century when the composers, born between 1795 and 1797, were young men necessarily enthralled by Mozart's Clarinet Concerto of 1791. The program begins with Mercadante's Clarinet Concerto in B flat and ends with his Clarinet Concerto in E flat, the latter the more ambitious work, its central Largo essentially an operatic aria given gorgeously pure voice by soloist Joy Farrall.Rossini's Introduction, Theme, and Variations and his Variations in C are imaginatively sustained single-movement pieces, with Farrell's forthright playing compelling attention. Donizetti offers both the Concertino in B flat (the Andante is particularly haunting) and the solo Study No. 1, a real virtuoso workout. Farrall employs her own apposite ornamentation as necessary. Her technique is always thoroughly in command of the music, her sonorous tone utterly clear. If these are not great classics, Farrall, conductor Nicholas Daniel, and the Britten Sinfonia strongly argue that they have at least been overlooked, making this release a very enjoyable concert of youthful, sunny, melody-filled music. --Gary S. Dalkin