Search - André Messager, Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Cahuzac :: French Portraits

A great performance of these French clarinet pieces

Rose Garden | DE USA | 04/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am surprise that there has not been a review yet of this CD of great clarinet performance. It might be due to the lack of marketing power and narrow sale channel of the label "Boston Records". However, this CD deserves attention from the clarinet players and aficionados like me.



My favorite pieces in the CD include Messager's "Solo De Concours" (track 1), Poulenc's Sonata (tracks 4-6), and Saint-Saëns' Sonata (tracks 9-12). All of them were executed with very artistically and masterfully playing. His tone (not of your typical French or German) is very unique, comparing with the ones from the current players recorded on other CDs. This CD is definitely worth of your listening.



I listened the Saint-Saëns' Clarinet Sonata played by Paul Meyer on "French Clarinet Art". Though I like Paul Meyer's playing in general, but his Saint-Saëns' Sonata was not a coherent one at all. If you want to listen Saint-Saëns' Clarinet Sonata, this one is it."

A disappointment

Say what? | Houston, TX | 04/27/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Having heard Ricardo Morales live a number of times, I was very disappointed in this cd and am donating it to the local library. His technique is flawless, his tone extremely fine and he can be a marvelous clarinetist, but the performance of these French pieces lacks the style, the expressiveness I would expect from Morales. He is one of the finest clarinetists in this country, but I found the overall recording to be bland and lacking in musicianship."