Spohr: Chamber Music for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano Joanna Klisowska, Rocco Parisi & Francesco Bissanti

• Louis Spohr (1784 - 1859):
• 1 Andante mit Variationen, Op. 34 08:58
• 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103:
• 2 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: I. Sei Still Mein Herz 04:49
• 3 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: II. Zwiegesang 02:05
• 4 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: III. Sehnsucht 03:14
• 5 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: IV. Wiegenlied 02:43
• 6 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: V. Das Heimliche Leid 04:03
• 7 6 Deutsche Lieder, Op. 103: VI. Wach Auf 02:49
• Louis Spohr:
• 8 Theme & Variations on a Theme from the Opera Alruna 07:25
• Potpourri in F Major, Op. 80:
• 9 Potpourri in F Major, Op. 80: I. Larghetto 02:45
• 10 Potpourri in F Major, Op. 80: II. Allegro 07:23
• Total Runtime 46:14

Info for Spohr: Chamber Music for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano

A new recording of Spohr’s masterpiece in the field of art-song, complemented by a trio of attractive instrumental rarities.

Though his star has fallen since his death in 1859, Louis Spohr was once commonly ranked alongside the greatest of his contemporaries. Like Beethoven he gained fame in Vienna and wrote prolifically in all the classical genres, but he travelled more widely, and his operas and oratorios won particular acclaim in France and England respectively.

Spohr’s curse and gift was fluency: whether written in serious or popular vein, his music is unfailingly mellifluous and beautifully written, falling easily on the ear while offering a satisfying challenge to its performers. As a violinist Spohr was considered second only to his friend Paganini. His brilliant virtuoso style and great skill in phrasing effectively founded a German school of violin playing. He understood equally well how to write for soprano and for clarinet, and the centrepiece of this collection is his set of Sechs Deutsche Lieder Op.103 (1837), which follow the example of Schubert’s late and sublime song Der Hirt an dem Felsen (The Shepherd on the Rock) in weaving a clarinet obbligato around the vocal line. Spohr himself had produced several previous sextets of German-language songs but in this cycle he was inspired to new expressive heights by his long friendship with the clarinettist Johann Simon Hermstedt.

This fruitful partnership had also resulted in two clarinet concertos and the lighter fantasies included here: the Potpourri Op.80 based on themes by his German contemporary Peter von Winter and the less-familiar Op.21 Fantasia on themes from his own unstaged opera Alruna. Both of them are gloriously melodic as well as affording ample opportunities for brilliance. More Mozartian in its lyricism is the Andante variation movement from his Op.34 Nottorno, originally scored for wind ensemble and arranged here for clarinet and piano.

The soprano Joanna Klisowska features on a well-received Brilliant Classics album of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (95282), in the first complete recording of his late cycle The Divan of Moses Ibn Ezra: ‘Polish soprano Joanna Klisowska shows considerable empathy with the spirit of these exquisitely conceived and moving songs. She has the most mellifluous tone, delivering consistently perfectly controlled, pointed and affectingly expressive, arching legato lines, so many in high registers.’ MusicWeb International

Louis Spohr was one of the most famous composers in his time, a leading exponent of the emerging Romantic Movement. His works are firmly rooted in the Viennese classical tradition, but the overtly dramatic expression, the rich and sonorous orchestration and the substantial dimension of his compositions gained him the reputation as one of the first truly romantic composers.

Spohr composed extensively for the clarinet, a result of his friendship and creative partnership with Johann Hermstedt, court musician and one of the most acclaimed clarinetists of the period. On this new recording we hear the clarinet solo, accompanied by the piano, in two sets of “Theme and Variations” and a Potpourri on popular opera melodies, tuneful, brilliant and virtuoso music. The main work are the “6 Deutsche Lieder” for soprano, clarinet and piano, the same combination as Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, also sharing the pastoral and lyrical atmosphere of this song.

Performed by soprano Joanna Klisowska (who already recorded a splendid Castelnuovo-Tedesco album for Brilliant Classics), clarinetist Rocco Parisi (who gave the world premiere of Berio’s Sequenza for clarinet) and pianist Francesco Bissanti.

Joanna Klisowska, soprano
Rocco Parisi, clarinet
Francesco Bissanti, piano

Joanna Klisowska
was born in Wrocław, Poland, where she started her music education first as a violinist and then as a singer during her vocal studies at the Academy of Music in prof. B. E. Werner class. Joanna Klisowska completed baroque singing course under the direction of C. Ansermet (Milan) and two-year postgraduate studies with honors at the Musikhochschule Trossingen at the Early Music Department under the direction of Ch. Hilza and M. K. Kiehr. The sopranist also worked under the direction of a well-known Polish singer Jolanta Żmurko, participated in numerous baroque music performances conducted by, among others, G. Banditelli, P. Kooij, B. Schlick, J.Christensen, K. Widmer, S. Prina, L. or Brunmayr-Tutz. Joanna Klisowska specializes in the performance of baroque and classical music. Her interests, however, also include French music of the late Nineteenth Century, song and contemporary music. The artist conducts lively concert activities cooperating with, among others, C. Astronio, G. Capuano, M. Creed, P. Heras-Casado, B. Kuijken, L. Ghielmi, V. Luks, P. Nemeth, P. Neumann, M. Schuldt Jensen, M. Toporowski, Ch. Toet, R. Vettori and also together with ensembles such as: Accademia della Arcadia, Artsemble, La Barocca, Bozen Baroque Ensemble, Il Canto di Orfeo, Collegium 1704 ,Divina Armonia , Immortal Bach Ensemble, SWR Vocal Ensemble, Mitteleuropea Orchestra Barocca), The sopranist performed at many various festivals, inter alia, Lucerne Festival, Utrecht Early Music Festival, Festival Ambronay, Rheingau Musik Festival, Wratislavia Cantans, Settimane Barocche Musica e Poesia and S. Maurizio, Festival Hendlowski, Festival Internazionale di Danza e Musica Antica, Festival Brežice, Festival di Musica Barocca di Rovigno, Festival Mozart, Settembre in Musica, Musica Antiqua, Musicum Forum, May with Early Music, International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music, Musica Elettronica Nuova. She worked with directors such as Simon McBurney and Philipp Harnoncourt.

Joanna Klisowska performs throughout Europe as well as conducts pedagogical activities and master classes.

Among her recorded albums one should mention Oratorium Musicum „Der Mensch ein Gottesmörder” by L. Mozart conducted by Claudio Astronio recorded for Amadeus (Italy) from the Bolzano Baroque Ensemble (2007), FA Bonporti motets for the Austrian ORF (Alte Musik) with the Ricreation d’Arcadia ansemble and Takashi Watanabe (2008), Responsoria by J.D. Zelenka with Collegium 1704 and Vaclav Luks (Akccent 2012), a disc presenting Henry Purcelel’s sacred compositions for soprano and bass with the participation of Peter Kooija – Stradivarius (2012), a monographic disc with the compositions of M. Castelnuovo – Tedesco – The Divan of Moses Ibn-Ezra for soprano and guitar with the participation of a guitarist Giulio Tampalini – Brilliant Classics (2017), Music for cello and piano. Two Songs with Andrea Noferini and Roberto Plano – pieces by Alfredo Piatti – Brilliant Classics (2018). Currently, the artist prepares for the recording of Ariette da camera by Cesare Dominiceti for Tactus (Italy) with the participation of a pianist Corrado Ruzza, for a disc containing the monographic repertoire of Fernando Sora for soprano and guitar with the participation of a guitarist Giuseppe Chiaramonte for Da Vinci Edition (Japan), and for recordings for Brilliant Classics, a monographic disc presenting music by J. I. Paderewski.

Booklet for Spohr: Chamber Music for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano