Thea King, London Symphony Orchestra, Alun Francis - Crusell - Clarinet Concertos (2005)

Crusell’s clarinet concertos, like the man, exhibit a cosmopolitan character. There are echoes of Mozart one minute and the influence of Spohr the next. Rossini and Weber can also be found at certain points, and the influence of folk turns up in the light-hearted Alla polacca finale of the third concerto. The concertos, unlike the quartets, were written for virtuoso performers and surpass the demands made by Mozart, but they also stop short of the technical wizardry found in Spohr’s four concertos. But Crusell prefers to adhere to formal structure and melodic grace, placing virtuosity at their service.
With the arrival of this Helios reissue, I now own four recordings of these concertos, the original full-price Hyperion release (CDA 66708), a Naxos recording (8.554144) with Per Billman and the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, and an out-of-print Virgin Veritas release of a period-instruments release with Anthony Pay and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The credentials of the performers are undisputable and the reputation of Hyperion is never subject to question. I consider these sessions that date from 1982 as benchmark.
One simply cannot find fault throughout the almost hour and a quarter run of this disc. Dame Thea King was in her fifties at the time, and still possessed all of the qualities that have commended so many of her recordings to listeners. The playing of the London Symphony Orchestra is also beyond reproach, with excellent detailing in the winds, judicious balances, and comfortable but never sluggish tempos. If you didn’t snag this one the first time out, you’ve got another shot and it’s worth it.