It’s an interesting
idea to combine both versions of these
sonatas in a single set, especially
as each version has its partisans
in terms of which instrument better
suits the music. However, given that
we have here two discs containing
a total of 83 minutes of music and
that the viola sonatas disc was released
separately a couple of years ago one
must assume that there is an economic
consideration also. Our concern is
with the musical comparison, made
all the more cogent here by the use
of a five-string Gran Viola which
can better produce the original clarinet
texture.
Wolfgang Meyer begins
his rendition of the first sonata
in a measured but beautiful fashion,
evidently showing all his understanding
of the clarinet. The movement is full
of delicate rhythmic contrast. Pierre-Henri
Xuereb plays the same movement on
viola in starker fashion, making it
sound more like middle period Brahms.
The slow movement finds Meyer unwinding
the central theme beautifully, but
at a slightly slower tempo than that
adopted by many soloists. Xuereb goes
for an emotional, driven, reading.
I have always felt that the material
of the third movement does not lend
itself to being played on the viola
and this performance bears me out,
although Xuereb does everything he
can. Meyer seems a little challenged
on his disc too but his playing of
the scherzo reprise is lovely. The
two soloists are most similar in approach
in the last movement. Each seems to
be aiming for a true vivace and again
Meyer exceeds himself in his ability
to provide rhythmic contrast. Xuereb
shows that he can make the viola sing
and the development section of the
movement has his best playing of the
whole work.
In some ways the
tone of the whole second sonata can
be summed up in the tempo reading
of the first movement: amabile.
Meyer certainly sees it this way in
the first movement, although he provides
some punch too. Xuereb’s opening is
more restrained and a little disappointing
until the development section when
he recovers himself. Both soloists
do best with the middle movement.
Meyer is impassioned and contrasts
the trio nicely with the music around
it. Xuereb is quite emotional too,
but a little slower than Meyer. In
the last movement both soloists seem
to be rushing a little. They both
distinguish each variation in the
movement well, but some of the overall
conception is lost.
In all of the above
I have failed to mention the third
man in these recordings, pianist Arthur
de Groote, who is the accompanist
to both soloists. Not only does he
demonstrate his usual ability but
he completely varies his approach
according to the instrument he is
accompanying and on the rare occasions
when things tend to get slow he is
there to liven them up. My only complaint
is that periodically the sound of
the piano overshadows that of the
clarinet or viola, but this is a fault
that lies mostly at the door of the
engineers. Otherwise, sound quality
is quite good if rather too sharp.
Obviously, this is a set only for
the completist, but allowances being
made as noted above its performances
are noteworthy.
William Kreindler
for details
Wolfgang Meyer (clarinet); Pierre-Henri
Xuereb (viola); André de Groote
(piano) 
