Todd Levy, Elena Abend - Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas (2006)

Member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, principal of the New World Symphony, and partner of Renée Fleming on the CD Bel Canto, clarinetist Todd Levy is hot stuff. Actually and more accurately, Todd Levy is mellow stuff -- rich, lush, full, deep, and sweet stuff. In this, his first solo disc, Levy takes on four of the most Romantic works in the clarinet repertoire, that's Romantic with both an upper and a lower case R: Brahms' two late sonatas in F minor and E flat major plus Schumann's Fantasy Pieces and, naturally, his Romances. It's a match made in heaven: Levy wraps himself around each piece like a coat in late autumn, playing with a cantabile tone and a flawless technique. If some might reasonably prefer the more reserved but no less heartfelt tone of German clarinetist Karl Leister, those who enjoy the warm style of American clarinetist Richard Stoltzman will more than likely respond to Levy's playing. Venezuelan pianist Elena Abend is a more than capable accompanist who willingly plays a supporting role to Levy's character acting. Unfortunately for Abend, she's buried in the mix, sounding more like she's in another room than merely a few feet from the soloist. But, then, Avie's recording does a disservice to the soloist as well with an acoustic that more closely resembles the bottom of an aquarium than a recording studio.