Mozart: Clarinet Concerto & Clarinet Quintet in A Major

“Those who enjoy Sir Neville Marriner’s way with music of the Classical period should relish this disc. Employing modern instruments, Sir Neville’s London-based orchestra plays with verve and skill. The chamber ensemble—Kenneth Sillito and Harvey de Souza, violins; Robert Smissen, viola; and Stephen Orton, cello—blend beautifully with the smooth elegance and rich tones of Andrew Marriner’s clarinet. Sillito’s fine work is especially valuable, because the score of the Quintet gives almost as many solo and leading-voice passages to the first violin as to the clarinet. Played over stereo equipment, these are the best-sounding performances of these pieces that have come my way; over SACD equipment, the sound is even better. PentaTone Classics further characterize this as an 80/50 Anniversary Album, Sir Neville turning 80 this year and son Andrew turning 50 in 2004. The rich, warm recording was achieved in the Henry Wood Hall, May 31–June 2, 2004."

“This is in every way a distinguished record by a distinguished father and son.” 

“The 5.0 channel recording places the clarinet dead center and in perfect balance with the rest of the musicians-not unduly spotlit as with violin and piano soloists in most of the Living Stereo recordings. But there is nothing lacking in the excellent phantom center of the two-channel SA-CD mix.” 

"... This SA-CD has become a truly festive “anniversary album” for the Marriners.”