Brahms-Schumann-Fruhling: Clarinet Trios

This recording can be highly recommended to any lover of the clarinet or of chamber music in general. The tone of Collins' clarinet is lovely, and I have never heard a sweeter-sounding cello tone than Isserlis'. This is now my favorite recording of the Brahms trio, but the Fruhling trio was a nice discovery as well. Let's here more Fruhling!

The Fruhling is absolutely astounding. Somewhere between Brahms and Mahler, it plays well and is a fresh work. The delightful mix of cello, clarinet and piano is brilliant. One can hope to hear much more Fruhling in the future, and more chamber music of this high quality. Well done Isserlis and Hough.

Clarinet Trios: Brahms, Schumann, and Fruhling

This CD has music from three different diverse composers, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), Robert Alexander Schumann (1810-1856), and Carl Fruhling(1868-1937). Fruhling was an Austrian composer and pianist, became a piano accompanist and teacher, working with Huberman, Pablo de Sarasate, Egon Wellesz, and the Rosé Quartet. He died in Vienna in poverty. His early piano works are salon pieces, while his Piano Quintet op. 30 and Clarinet Trio op. 40 are more substantial, written in the Romantic tradition. In 2009, his Piano Quintet was reprinted by Edition Silvertrust. Much of his music is lost or has yet to be uncovered. Cellist Steven Isserlis has championed his music, some of which he has rediscovered and performed.

We have Steven Isserlis a British cellist. He is distinguished for his diverse repertoire, distinctive sound (due in part to his use of gut strings) and total command of phrasing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was much influenced by the great iconoclast of Russian cello playing, Daniil Shafran. He was awarded a CBE in 1998. Isserlis plays both as soloist and chamber musician and has revived many neglected works. He has also organized a number of festivals with long-term collaborators such as Joshua Bell, Stephen Hough, Mikhail Pletnev, Andras Schiff, Denes Varjon, and Tabea Zimmermann. Michael Collins is among the most prominent British clarinetists of his generation. He has appeared in concert as principal clarinetist with the Philharmonia Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, as a member of the Nash Ensemble, and as a freelance soloist and chamber player. Michael Collins' dazzling virtuosity and sensitive musicianship have made him one of today's most sought-after soloists. At 16 he won the woodwind prize in the first BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition and at 22 made his American debut at Carnegie Hall, New York. Stephen Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality (his father was born in Australia in 1926). Hough performs as a recitalist and chamber musician, and has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras around the world. The three featured artists play their respective instruments giving us a serious take on classical music. Different styles of classical music coming together from different walks of life, making for a very interesting and enjoyable CD.

These are Clarinet Trios, envisioned in the minds of composers, as styles were changing in Classic music through the march of time, but a common theme has transcended these styles. Here we have a snap-shot of the different styles, but with the same effect... a calming relaxation. All brought to us from accomplished musicians with a clear thought about continuity. The Trio for clarinet, cello and piano in A Minor, Op. 114, was one of four chamber works featuring clarinet composed by Johannes Brahms in rapid succession after emerging from retirement toward the end of his life. It is one of a small number of compositions for clarinet, cello and piano, and one of the very few to have entered the standard repertoire. Eusebius Mandyczewski, a scholar and friend of Brahms, wrote of the trio that "It is as though the instruments were in love with each other." Brahms was inspired to compose these works by the playing of clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld. In November 1891 Mühlfeld participated in the first private performance, in Meiningen, with Robert Hausmann on cello and Brahms on piano. The following month they had a triumph with the public premiere in Berlin. Schumann's highly Romantic art includes his fondness for literature, fantasy, and the colorful expression of mood, character and story in musical miniatures. If there were any, the specific topics or references in the music are unknown, as Schumann would surely have preferred. While the notion of four brief fairy tales suggests a loose collection of individual pieces, they create a balanced whole complete with a lively introduction, a march, a tender slow movement and an animated finale with cyclic references to its predecessors. Schumann dedicated the work to a young musician, Albert Dietrich, who, along with the young Johannes Brahms, brought new friendship and fresh inspiration to Schumann during the final weeks of his artistic productivity. For Fruhling's Op. 40 in A minor, the opening movement Mäßig schnell (Allegro moderato) presents its warm, somewhat sad and graceful themes at a relaxed tempo. The clarinet is often given the bass line, which creates a lush effect. The second movement Anmütig bewegt (Grazioso) has for its first theme an updated, graceful Viennese waltz, followed by a Ländler like melody, an Austrian and southern German folk dance in moderately slow triple meter. The third subject sounds vaguely Russian. The Andante which follows is sad and reflective, the climax being a duet between the cello and clarinet. The finale, Allegro vivace, is rhythmically spirited and playful. Träumerei (Dreaming) is one of Schumann's best known pieces; it was the title of a 1944 German biographical film on Robert Schumann. Träumerei is also the opening and closing musical theme in the 1947 Hollywood film Song of Love, starring Katharine Hepburn as Clara Schumann Wieck.

First off on this CD is a Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano in A minor, Op. 114 written by Brahms. It has four parts:

1. Allegro 8:07
2. Adagio 8:28
3. Andantino grazioso 4:26
4. Allegro 4:36

Second off this CD is Marchenerzahlungen for Clarinet, Viola(Cello) and Piano Op. 132: by Robert Schumann

1. Lebhaft, nicht zu schnell 2:52
2. Lebhaft und sehr markirt 2:58
3. Ruhiges Tempo, mit zartem Ausdruck 4:13
4. Lebhaft, sehr markirt 4:27

Third off this CD is Trio for Clarinet, Cello,and Piano in A Minor, Op. 40 by Carl Fruhling
1. Mäßig schnell 6:49
2. Anmütig bewegt 5:44
3. Andante 8:37
4. Allegro vivace 5:16

The fourth piece is Träumerei(Dreaming) by Robert Schumann 2:46

This music is very relaxing and is soothing and nourishes the soul and does not assault your hearing. The musicianship and artistry between the artists works well for these Clarinet Trios giving the listener a continuity in the general tone, mood and timbre between these musical compositions.

This is a RCA recording from the Legacy edition. I was pleased at the quality of the music on this CD it is engineered well. If you are looking for a relaxing CD with a chamber music flare than this is the CD that you need to buy. I gave this CD 5 stars, for the originality of the composers and the artists do a wonderful job conveying the music to the listener, calm, enjoyable, relaxing and most of all this music fits together well even over the time period. Keep in mind this is classical music, but its propose is to reflex and give an introspective look into your mind, giving you a feeling of relaxation. It does that very well.