Julien Hervé chose to play modern instruments for this recording, finding that their comfort and possibilities allowed him to express his interpretation with greater ease, despite having experience with historical instruments.
Performer Biography
Julien Hervé, the clarinetist on this album, has been the principal clarinet at the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra since 2008 and is also a founder of the Rotterdam Chamber Music Society.
Compositional Technique
Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, composed in 1789, was revolutionary for its time, as it was the first time the combination of string quartet and clarinet was used, with the clarinet having an equal role to the first violin.
Instruments
The basset clarinet, used on this album, was invented by Anton Stadler, who modified his clarinet with instrument maker Theodor Lotz.
Composition History
Mozart composed several significant works featuring the clarinet, including the Gran Partita, Kegelstatt Trio, Sinfonia concertante, Quintet, and Concerto, within a little over ten years.
Composer Biography
Anton Stadler, a high-level clarinetist, friend, and fellow Freemason of Mozart, influenced the composer to give the clarinet a special role in his music.
Instruments
For this recording, Julien Hervé uses basset clarinets in A and B-flat, which are 'normal' clarinets with an added major third in the lower range, extending their tessitura.
