Nicolas del Grazia - Italian Vintages (2006)

When twentieth century clarinet sonatas are brought up, it's usually the ones by Poulenc and Saint-Saëns that are thought of first, followed by Hindemith and Reger. The three on Italian Vintages, performed by Nicolas del Grazia and Chris Lysack, complement those French sonatas particularly well. These Italian ones are frequently recorded together, when they are recorded at all, because they also complement each other. Composer Giacomo Setaccioli is virtually unknown except for this sonata, written in 1921. Each movement follows sonata-form conventions, with something of the translucency and flowing lyricism of impressionism, which is why the sonata would stand well with the French ones. Each movement is meant to evoke a specific time of day: afternoon, night, and dawn. They are bright and optimistic, bordering on playful joyfulness, even in the nocturne movement. The Castelnuovo-Tedesco sonata is charming and reflective, if slightly melancholy in the opening movement. The Scherzo has a quirky main theme, which could be mistaken for Rota's writing by anyone familiar with his film scores or some of his other instrumental music, such as the Bassoon Concerto. Rota's sonata, on the other hand, is less capricious than expected. It is suave and graceful throughout, with a middle movement that is as unassuming in its construction as the whole sonata is in its outlook. It allows del Grazia to show off his deep tone and controlled, but natural-sounding phrasing. Del Grazia fills out the album (although it is still a relatively short one) with an etude by Mario Pilati that is very much in character with the smooth lines of the sonatas, and his own Tarantella, which has a pixilated humor. Clarinetists looking for alternatives to Poulenc and Saint-Saëns should give these sonatas a try.

Review by Patsy Morita