Belle époque

Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1 (arr. Berio); Debussy: Première rapsodie; Pierné: Canzonetta; Trojahn: Rhapsody for Clarinet and Orchestra; Widor: Introduction et Rondo

Annelien Van Wauwe (clarinet); Lille National Orchestra/

Alexandre Bloch

Pentatone PTC 5186 808 59:50 mins Now in her early thirties, Annelien Van Wauwe is already a consummate artist and this well-planned disc gives us an excellent view of her technical skill, her musicianship and her lovely tone, even in the altissimo register. The only curious thing about the disc is that the notes say nothing whatever about her, so I had to learn from elsewhere that she has played at the Proms and is in continual contact with the queen of clarinettists Sabine Meyer. But as the Bard says, ‘A good wine needs no bush’ and her playing on its own is eloquent testimony to her talents.

The Debussy Rhapsody, described to me by one professional clarinettist as a death trap since the composer makes players do all the things they particularly dread, is despatched with grace and a wonderful feeling for the interplay between dreaminess and jokes. Berio’s orchestration of the first Brahms Sonata, despite a few inserted bars that I really don’t see the need for, is respectful and works well, while Manfred Trojahn’s Rhapsody is great fun in a highly modern idiom with some imaginative orchestration. I’m now playing the disc for the third time, and most certainly not the last. Roger Nichols

PERFORMANCE ★★★★★

RECORDING ★★★★