Carl Maria von Weber composed few works for chamber ensembles, and sidestepped the usual Classical constraints on the occasions when he did. The works on this 2005 release from Hyperion seem peculiarly outside the mainstream of their day, and striking for their virtuosity and devil-may-care approach to such concerns as ensemble balance, structure, and thematic coherence. The Clarinet Quintet in B flat major, J182, is, to all practical purposes, a flamboyant clarinet concerto with a scaled-down string accompaniment; and the ...
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Carl Maria von Weber composed few works for chamber ensembles, and sidestepped the usual Classical constraints on the occasions when he did. The works on this 2005 release from Hyperion seem peculiarly outside the mainstream of their day, and striking for their virtuosity and devil-may-care approach to such concerns as ensemble balance, structure, and thematic coherence. The Clarinet Quintet in B flat major, J182, is, to all practical purposes, a flamboyant clarinet concerto with a scaled-down string accompaniment; and the Piano Quartet in B flat major, J76, is a bravura showpiece, sparkling with a dazzling piano part that Weber apparently intended for himself. The Trio for flute, cello and piano in G minor, J259, more closely resembles a Classical chamber work in its fairly even repartee and comparatively modest displays of technique; yet here, too, are flashes of the concertante style. Weber's music is so vivid and appealing that few will protest his liberties, and even fewer will resist the charms...
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