Brahms' clarinet sonatas are given a warm and intimate treatment by Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer and Hans Eijsackers. This is not to imply that Wouters van den Oudenweijer isn't passionate and heartily energetic when the music calls for it, but the consistent smoothness of his tone and controlled breathing create quite an impression in the sweetly lyrical and quite moments. His skills are particularly evident in the last movement of the Sonata No. 1 and the middle movement of Sonata No. 2. Eijsackers is equally ...
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Brahms' clarinet sonatas are given a warm and intimate treatment by Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer and Hans Eijsackers. This is not to imply that Wouters van den Oudenweijer isn't passionate and heartily energetic when the music calls for it, but the consistent smoothness of his tone and controlled breathing create quite an impression in the sweetly lyrical and quite moments. His skills are particularly evident in the last movement of the Sonata No. 1 and the middle movement of Sonata No. 2. Eijsackers is equally sensitive in his playing, matching his sound to the clarinet's so as not to overpower it. In the second movement of the Sonata No. 1 there is plenty of opportunity for musicians to be overly forceful, but neither of these two are. The Rheinberger sonata fits well with the Brahms. It is the composer's own transcription of his Violin Sonata No. 2, and as such, it makes more than a few high-note demands on the clarinetist, which Wouters van den Oudenweijer handles very capably. Its opening...
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