The German clarinetist
Andreas Ottensamer, principal clarinetist of the
Berlin Philharmonic, has made a splash with intelligently programmed recitals executed with technical polish. Here the program doesn't hold together quite as well: you get a live
Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1, Op. 73, paired with a studio recording of clarinet-and-piano pieces, mostly transcriptions, by
Weber,
Mendelssohn, and
Brahms. The concerto, however, is well worth the price of admission as
Ottensamer navigates the weaving of the solo clarinet with the other winds in the gorgeous slow movement; working with other musicians he knows well, he produces what is probably the optimal version of this movement, and his playing in the outer movements is gentle and elegant as well. He gets excellent support from
Mariss Jansons and the
Berlin Philharmonic, who don't get much visibility in the graphics. Pianist
Yuja Wang, here in an unusual accompanimental role, is typically lively in the smaller works. There are a lot of
Mendelssohn's Songs without Words interspersed with more serious pieces, and the recital has a light flavor overall. The sound in the
Weber Concerto has the requisite clarity, and this version can stand with any other the others on the market. Recommended.