...Kam's beauty of tone and expressive understanding of a composer sometimes thought problematic - though I have never understood why! - is audible throughout the Concerto, in an account that is a match for any of her rivals'! If not perhaps as mercurial as Martin Fröst (BIS), her playing is more aligned to Hindemith's sensibilities, scarcely less than Louis Cahuzac's under the composer’s direction in their still marvellous- Selected Comparisons sounding mid-1950s EMI recording (much reissued, now available Hindemith conducts from Warner). The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Cohen provide first-rate support in top-notch sound. The couplings are, to my mind, even finer than the concerto. The 1939 Sonata is one of the best ever penned for the instrument while the 1938 Quartet for clarinet, violin, cello and piano is simply one of the great chamber works of the 20th century. Kam's understanding and rapport with her colleagues here, particularly pianist Enrico Pace, are manifestly complete. This is a strong rival to Paul Meyer and Eric Le Sage's recent account of the Sonata, and I do not know of a stronger rival for the Quartet currently available.
GRAMOPHONE
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...Kam's beauty of tone and expressive understanding of a composer sometimes thought problematic - though I have never understood why! - is audible throughout the Concerto, in an account that is a match for any of her rivals'! If not perhaps as mercurial as Martin Fröst (BIS), her playing is more aligned to Hindemith's sensibilities, scarcely less than Louis Cahuzac's under the composer’s direction in their still marvellous- Selected Comparisons sounding mid-1950s EMI recording (much reissued, now available Hindemith conducts from Warner). The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Cohen provide first-rate support in top-notch sound. The couplings are, to my mind, even finer than the concerto. The 1939 Sonata is one of the best ever penned for the instrument while the 1938 Quartet for clarinet, violin, cello and piano is simply one of the great chamber works of the 20th century. Kam's understanding and rapport with her colleagues here, particularly pianist Enrico Pace, are manifestly complete. This is a strong rival to Paul Meyer and Eric Le Sage's recent account of the Sonata, and I do not know of a stronger rival for the Quartet currently available.
CD Critic
Diapaspn Magazine
Februar 2021
Trio CD "Contrasts" ist auf der
Bestenliste der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 1.2020
Jurys Bewertung:
Kammermusik ist eine Leidenschaft der großen Soloklarinettistin Sharon Kam. Mit ihrem Bruder Ori Kam, Edelbratscher und Mitglied im Jerusalem Quartet, tritt sie schon seit Kinderzeiten auf. Das schafft eine seltene Vertrautheit im musikalischen Denken, eine fast unheimliche Symbiose, bei aller Verschiedenheit in Stimme, Ausdruck, Farbe oder Phrase. Das Programm ihres neuen Albums haben Kam und Kam gemeinsam mit dem Pianisten Matan Porat mehrfach live aufgeführt, bevor sie ins Studio gingen, es ist gebaut wie ein ideales Konzert: Wandert den Höhenkamm der raren Originalliteratur ab, von Mozart bis Schumann, inklusive jazzverliebter Zugabe. Wechselt für die Herzstücke das Klangkostüm: Die Klarinette singt statt der Menschenstimme bei Brahms. Die dunkle Bratsche wagt sich an den vertrackten Violinpart bei Bartók. Grandios, hinreißend! (Für die Jury: Eleonore Büning)
