Weber, Krommer & Baermann: Clarinet Quintets Eric Hoeprich & London Haydn Quartet

• Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826): Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182:
• 1 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: I. Allegro 11:12
• 2 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: II. Fantasia. Adagio 04:42
• 3 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: III. Menuetto. Capriccio presto 05:44
• 4 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 34, J. 182: IV. Rondo. Allegro giojoso 06:46
• Heinrich Baermann (1784 - 1847):
• 5 Clarinet Quintet No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 23 04:43
• Franz Krommer (1759 - 1831): Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 95:
• 6 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 95: I. Allegro moderato 10:40
• 7 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 95: II. Adagio 06:55
• 8 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 95: III. Minuetto. Allegretto 04:38
• 9 Clarinet Quintet in B-Flat Major, Op. 95: IV. Allegro 07:49
• Total Runtime 01:03:09

Info for Weber, Krommer & Baermann: Clarinet Quintets

Carl Maria von Weber’s works for clarinet number among the most treasured and frequently performed compositions for the instrument. The sheer verve and imagination evident in the Clarinet Quintet, op. 34 presented here manages to embody the same operatic sensibility and compositional rigour of Weber’s large-scale works. Also included in the recording is an Adagio by Heinrich Baermann, whose clarinet playing served as inspiration for Weber’s compositions for the instrument, and the Quintet op. 95 composed by Franz Krommer. Eric Hoeprich, principal clarinet of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century since its foundation, has specialized in performing on the historical clarinet, also being the owner of a large collection of 18th and 19th century instruments. On Glossa he has issued nearly a dozen of recordings, including the Mozart Clarinet Concerto directed by Frans Brüggen. His regular collaboration with the London Haydn Quartet lasts for many years now, with a referential recording of the Mozart and Brahms Quintets being an important highlight. On the recording presented here, Hoeprich and the members of the London Haydn Quartet play on fine historical instruments, which provide a warm, blended sound that is at the same time both transparent and full of detail. All excellently captured by Philip Hobbs in St Martin’s Church in East Woodhay, England, and supplemented by an informative essay authored by Hoeprich himself.

Eric Hoeprich, clarinet
London Haydn Quartet

Eric Hoeprich
is one of the world's leading exponents of the historical clarinet. He was born in Baltimore, MD, and has an honors degree in philosophy from Harvard. He teaches at the Paris Conservatoire, Indiana University’s Early Music Institute, and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. For the past thirty years he has specialized in performing on the historical clarinet. His expertise as a musician, scholar, and instrument maker allows for a unique approach to the solo clarinet repertoire of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

As a founding member and principal clarinet of Frans Brüggen’s Orchestra of the 18th Century, Hoeprich has performed frequently as a soloist with this orchestra, as well as with many of the major early music ensembles in Europe, the United States, and Australia under conductors such as Nicholas McGegan, Roger Norrington, Christopher Hogwood, Philippe Herreweghe, and Jos van Immerseel. With Brüggen’s orchestra Hoeprich has recorded the basset clarinet version of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto for the Glossa label.

Hoeprich’s activities as a chamber musician also take him around the world, both with his own ensembles and as a guest with numerous string quartets and pianists. For a recent recording on Glossa of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet (for which he again plays the rare basset clarinet) coupled with the Brahms Quintet, he was joined by the London Haydn Quartet (with the quartet using gut strings and classical bows). His groups Nachtmusique (a Harmoniemusik ensemble) and the Stadler Trio (three basset horns) were both founded in the 1980s: with them Hoeprich has recorded music by Mozart, Beethoven, and Franz Krommer. He is also the author of The Clarinet (Yale University Press, 2008).

London Haydn Quartet
One of the world’s leading period instrument string quartets, The London Haydn Quartet was born out of a passion for Haydn. Founded in 2000 the quartet has received invitations to many of the most important concert series in UK, USA, Canada, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Japan.

The London Haydn Quartet’s series of recordings of the complete Haydn quartets on the Hyperion label (the op 9, op 17, op 20, op 33, op 50, op 54/55 and op 64 quartets to date) has met with international critical acclaim. The quartet has given many recitals at venues such as London's Wigmore Hall, The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, New York's Carnegie Hall, Yamaha and Asahi Halls in Tokyo, the Sydney Opera House and at festivals including Cheltenham, Utrecht, Esterhaza, Bath Mozartfest, Lyon and Granada.

In collaboration with period clarinettist Eric Hoeprich with whom they also recorded the Brahms and Mozart quintets on the Glossa label, they have appeared throughout Europe, USA, Canada, Singapore and Japan.

Recent highlights have included concert tours in Australia, Canada, USA, Germany, Singapore, Japan and a series of five programmes of Haydn and Beethoven quartets at the Berlioz Festival in La Côte-Saint-André.

Recording update: The seventh volume (op 64) was released in November 2018 to an enthusiastic reception, being chosen as Record of the Week by the Sunday Times.

The eighth volume (opp 71/74) was recorded in October 2018 and will be released in the Autumn of 2019.

This album contains no booklet.