Stoltzman Mozart The Essential Clarinet

First released in 1991 and reissued in 2004, this CD of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and the Clarinet Quintet is fair in most regards except for the featured soloist's quirky playing. Richard Stoltzman's fans may like this disc in spite of its problems, especially if they are more interested in clarinet technique than in Mozart's music. But others may sense that he has little understanding of the composer or Classical style, and that these interpretations are superficial and whimsical, rather than deeply felt or carefully considered.