Heinrich Baermann (1784-1847) probably is best known as the composer of an Adagio for clarinet quintet originally attributed to Wagner. In his day, though, he was among the premier clarinet virtuosos and a close friend and inspiration to Weber, among others. Collected on this disc are four charming concertos, all of which receive their first recording on CD. These works are mainly of interest to musicologists and clarinet students, or to fans of early Romantic music, and are incidental in every sense of the word. Weber enthusiasts likely will be drawn to this disc for comparative reasons, as Weber wrote five major clarinet works with Baermann’s playing in mind and it is noteworthy how the two colleagues influenced each other. For those looking for some pleasant toe-tapping excitement in these pieces, skip to the third movements of each work.
Dieter Klocker is the committed soloist, executing all the virtuosic scales, arpeggios, and leaps with a full and consistent vibratoless tone. He is partnered in an indifferently executed accompaniment by the Prague Chamber Orchestra, whose playing is characterized by a pedestrian stream of ostinato bass lines, uninspiring chordal progressions, and the occasional timpani solo (an unusual duet with the clarinet in the introduction to the C minor Concertino). Burdening this disc is a flat two-dimensional soundstage with a soloist placed too far forward and thus out of balance with the orchestra. Strictly for clarinet compleatists.
