This album was recorded at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Belvedere, California, from June 10-14, 2019.
Instruments
The violins in the Ellen M. Egger Quartet were made on a 1705 Stradivari 'P' form, and the violoncello was constructed on a modified 'B' form of Antonio Stradivari 1709.
Instruments
The string instruments used by the Alexander String Quartet for this recording are part of the Ellen M. Egger Quartet, all handmade by Francis Kuttner in 1987.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The clarinet's mellow sound and agility make it an ideal complement to the string quartet's resonant warmth and harmonic richness, attracting many composers.
Critical Reception
The Clarinet Quintets of Mozart and Brahms are considered the two towering masterpieces composed for clarinet and string quartet.
Composition History
Both Mozart's and Brahms' Clarinet Quintets were written late in their composers' lives and were inspired by contact with a specific clarinetist.
