Two of the works here were written by men in their late 20s. American clarinettist Jon Manasse and his partners delight in the extroversion of the young Beethoven, bringing an almost giddy enthusiasm to what is one of the composer’s jolliest works. And the virtuosic showmanship of the Weber duo is totally up their street as well.
The trio by Brahms was written by a man approaching 60 who had sworn off composing, only to be drawn away from retirement when he heard the great clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld. The playing makes rather heavier weather of the Brahms, through a fondness for underlining that sometimes draws draw more attention to itself than to the music.
