Search - Naomi Drucker :: Music for Doubles

A Unique CD of Various Pairings

03/20/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album, an interesting compilation of music for pairs of various sorts, has a great deal going for it. First and foremost is the playing of the legendary Stanley Drucker who for half a century has been the Principal Clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. It is astounding that during all this time, Mr. Drucker has never been anything less than at the top of his form, and this CD is no exception. What most audiophiles do not know is that his wife, Naomi Drucker, has also to be considered as one of the best clarinetists in the country. The Krommer Concerto is a delightful work and is very beautifully performed here by the husband and wife team. It is absolutely impossible to tell these two master clarinetists apart in this recording. Another double concerto featured on this CD is the relatively unknown Saint-Saens "The Muse and the Poet" for solo violin, cello and orchestra, the title having been dreamed up by an imaginative publisher for a piece that is in reality simply a one movement concerto. Why this piece is so little heard is a mystery. It is an emotional work that runs the gamut from the most heartfelt writing to the most dramatic and powerful. Perhaps the difficulty of the work combined with its relatively short length is a drawback to many orchestras. Who would engage two top-drawer soloists for a work that is demanding on all concerned, including the orchestra, that only takes up the length of one movement? Nonetheless, this remains a remarkable work that should be heard more often. This is an excellent and beautiful rendition of the piece. The brothers Charles Rex (violinist) and Christopher Rex (cellist) play together as one would expect from such a familial relationship. Both produce rich sounds and have technique aplenty to handle the work with ease, and they both obviously relish the overt romanticism of the work. If one were lucky enough to have heard these brothers in the world premiere of American composer Stephen Paulus's Double Concerto performed with the New York Philharmonic that was written for them back in 1994, one is left with the hope that we will hear more of this unique duo team. The Martinu Concerto for Two Stringed Orchestras is generally regarded as among Martinu's best compositions. Peter Tiboris and company, who also supplied excellent accompaniments to the the other two concerti, give this piece an excellent rendition, but unfortunately the sonics of the hall where this CD was made, while advantageous to the solo works, proves to be too reverberating for true clarity in the Martinu. One can hear that the violin section in particular knows the piece cold, but most of the intricate work is lost in the boomy acoustics, and this also robs the piece of dynamic range although one can hear that the orchestra is playing their hearts out. Nonetheless, the performance itself is worthwhile. All in all, this is an excellent CD. I give it 4 and 1/2 stars."