Nordwest-Zeitung, Germany

Musicians completely in unison with one another.

CONCERT: The "reinforced" Ciompi Quartet convinces with inspired and lively playing.

The Quartet from the USA played classical compositions for clarinet. Allan Ware joined them on the clarinet.

By Ute EXTRA

Nordenham: Classical compositions for clarinet are often late works of the most famous composers. Usually they are master works and done with a fully ripe compositional style &mdash music literature of very high value. From this catalogue of works, two of the most famous classical and romantic quintets were presented on Thursday in the Aula of the high school by the American String Quartet Ciompi and the clarinetist Allan Ware

First piece without clarinet.

The five musicians, whose resumes promised a high standard of chamber music ability, were invited by the Goethe-Society and pulled in a large crowd of music lovers, even a number of young ones.

Before the clarinet works, the Quartet started with the Haydn Opus 33 quartet in G, also a late work of this Viennese classical master. A thoroughgoing example of the stately elegance of Viennese classicism, played in a stylistically convincing way by he quartet, the Haydn work gave the listeners a beautiful impression of the chamber music of that time. Haydn uses the first violin soloistically, the other three strings acting frequently as accompanists. Eric Pritchard, who steered the quartet with large motions and expressive breathing, demonstrated unassailable musicianship on the violin.

In the famous clarinet quintet of Mozart, Allan Ware joined the Ensemble. With sensitive and warm clarinet tone he brought a beautiful addition to the playing. Although his part in the Mozart is mainly soloistic, he did not push himself into the foreground in any way, but made his audience listen intensely, a way of playing that was very agreeable, and in sympathy with the ensemble's overall interpretative intent. The piece's well planned phrases and virtuostic runs were played in a perfectly natural way.

In the second half the clarinet quintet of Brahms was presented, a hundred years younger and much more involved in instrumental and compositional style. Here the chamber music skills of these musicians became absolutely clear. Together they felt and shaped the ever-changing moods and characters of the work, passing the ball among themselves and inspiring one another with their lively music making.

As an Encore, the guests offered a portion of the third movement of Max Reger´s Clarinet Quintet in A major.