Draeseke Clarinet Sonata, historic SWR recording

[Rainolf]

Today I found a historic recording of Draeseke's Clarinet Sonata op. 38 on Youtube, played by Jost Michaels, clarinet, and Maria Bergmann, piano.

It was made by the SWR (South West German Radio) and provided to Youtube by Naxos, were it is listed since April, but according to the view numbers was heard only by very few people. Because this is a very beautiful performance, I want to recommend it to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56a99FI2gJk&list=OLAK5uy_kLTD1WqLPkRjrz2wYeBVQwGYZIyT5JACE&index=1

Jost Michaels (1922-2004) was an allround musician, who worked as clarinetist, pianist and conductor, and is maybe most well known for his commitment to the works of Wilhelm Berger, of which he made some first CD recordings. Maria Bergmann (1918-2002) had a fixed engagement as radio pianist at the SWR from 1946 to 1982.

[CelesteCadenza]

This recording is listed in the Draeseke discography https://draeseke.org/discs/ as:

SWR Classic Archive SWR10600 [Digital Download]
Jost Michaels [clarinet], Maria Bergmann [piano]
21 December 1981, SWR Studio 5, Germany

The link to the download ( https://ml.naxos.jp/album/SWR10600 ) is to Naxos Japan but the recording appears to be available from Naxos, and NML, in other countries as well as Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Clarinet-Sonata-B-Flat-Major-Op/dp/B08645ZPT2/

The Draeseke discography lists 7 complete recordings of the Clarinet Sonata, plus one of op 38 in its alternate guise for Violin and Piano.

[eschiss1]

I assume the violin/piano one is on the AKCoburg label, with the sonata in its original version and the Scene Op.69 (a work that has considerable thematic links, it seems to me, not just with Bertran de Born but with the violin concerto.)

[semloh]

Rainolf, thank you for alerting us to this fine performance by two great musicians. Thank you also to CelesteCadenza for the supporting information. The sonata is, I think, utterly charming without being shallow, and certainly one of my favourite Draeseke pieces.