Search - Melos Ensemble :: Chamber Music 1

Good BGM for little money but not much more.

TOM SPILLIAERT | Tokyo, Japan | 03/26/2000

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This CD (set of 2) contains a beautiful piece ascribed to Beethoven, namely the first of three duos for clarinet and bassoon. Not many recordings exist of this rare duo and its inclusion surely enhances the attractiveness of this chamber music CD. However, beware! The cover only mentions the great Melos Ensemble. To my disappointment, I learned from the booklet inside that the clarinet performers are the mediocre Gervase de Peyer and Keith Puddy. de Peyer's playing in the Brahms quintet is rather disturbing with his sloppy phrasing and tasteless vibrato. The Melos Ensemble surely deserves a better clarinet soloist, but then at the time of this Brahms recording (1964), there were maybe not too many good clarinetists around."

Superb phrasing

duffyl17 | 04/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whatever misgivings one may have about Gervase dePeyer's tone(Boosey and Hawkes large bore clarinet) he was certainly a true master of the clarinet. The open tone of his clarinet and the crystalline tonal quality may bother more modern players, but in many ways he achieves a violin like quality that modern players sadly lack!!!As to the interpretation, his Brahm's Quintet is one of the most polished and musically cohesive presentations of this piece. If you like expressive thoughtful playing this is for you!!"