The title “Epilogues” refers to the fact that Brahms, Saint-Saëns, and Poulenc wrote clarinet sonatas at the end of their composing careers. More importantly, clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov and pianist Misuzu Tanaka serve up world-class performances of these works that yield nothing to competing catalog versions.
One could argue that the piano’s slightly twangy patina seems closer to a late-19th-century Bechstein than a modern Steinway D. Personally I don’t mind, because the clarinet and piano timbres blend with alluring and assiduous transparency. The Brahms F minor sonata’s Allegretto grazioso, for example, features the most subtle thematic interplay, while the low sustained clarinet notes underneath the piano’s broken octaves in the Trio create a hauntingly shimmering effect. The musicians’ dynamic synchronicity in the Brahms E-flat sonata’s central movement can only be described as clairvoyant: they phrase and breathe as one.
The leisurely tempo and introspective demeanor of the Saint-Saëns sonata’s opening Allegretto seems a bit too serious for music that sports such elegant surface charm, but the duo compensates in the Allegro animato’s pointed wit. Colorful characterizations, stinging accents, and ricocheting ensemble repartée vivify the Poulenc sonata’s outer movements in an interpretation that reveals further details with each rehearing. One note: although I was fortunate to obtain this rewarding release as a physical CD, it may be more readily available via downloading or streaming platforms.
