Crusell, a clarinetist, studied composition with notable figures like Abbé Vogler, François-Joseph Gossec, and Henri-Montan Berton.
Instruments
The clarinets used in this recording are reproductions of Bernhard Crusell's own boxwood clarinets, made by Heinrich Grenser, which are now in the Stockholm Musikmuseet.
Interpretation
The string instruments on this recording use gut strings at a lower tension and lighter bows, contributing to a warmer, more blended sound.
Cultural Impact
One of Crusell's quartets, likely Op. 2, profoundly influenced a 10-year-old Mikhail Glinka, the Russian composer, making him realize his passion for music.
Composer Biography
Bernhard Henrik Crusell, the composer, rose from a poor family in a remote Finnish village to become a celebrated musician in Stockholm.
Interpretation
The recording uses a lower pitch of a=430Hz, which corresponds to concert pitch evidence from the early nineteenth century, aiming for a transparent and detailed sound.
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