Lutoslawski, Yuste, Debussy, Poulenc, Nielsen, Romero

COMPOSERS: Debussy,Lutoslawski,Nielsen,Poulenc,Romero,Yuste
LABELS: Linn
ALBUM TITLE: Fantasia
WORKS: Rapsodie
PERFORMER: Maximiliano Martin (clarinet), Inocencio Negrin (piano)
CATALOGUE NO: CKD 280

The principal clarinettist of the



Scottish Chamber Orchestra,



Maximiliano Martín, has an



attractive tone, reliable intonation



and nimble technique. All that’s



missing here, recorded with fidelity,



is an incisive, aggressive edge.



Without it, the two slow numbers



among Lutos?awski’s five Dance



Preludes come off better than the



fast movements with which they



alternate, the withdrawn opening of



Debussy’s Rapsodie is more appealing



than its explosive end, and the



melancholy pianissimos of Poulenc’s



Sonata make a greater impression



than the strident fortissimos. Despite



pianist Inocencio Negrín’s excellent



contribution, these repertoire works



are not completely successful.



However, for clarinet buffs there’s



an early Fantasia by Nielsen; two



pieces by the 20th-century clarinet



virtuoso and teacher Miguel Yuste



Moreno, a Spanish-flavoured



‘Picturesque Caprice’ and a tuneful



‘Melodic Study’; and a 19th-century



fantasy on Donizetti by an earlier



Spanish clarinettist, Antonio Romero



y Andía. Valuable contributions to a



recital that’s attractively varied – just



a bit too mellifluous. Anthony Burton