Schumann / Weber / Jenner: Works For Clarinet & Piano – Jean Johnson & Steven Osborne

‘Nothing short of phenomenal’ (Fanfare), British-American clarinettist Jean Johnson makes her Linn debut with her partner and husband, pianist Steven Osborne. A keen chamber musician, who has performed in some of the world’s finest venues, Jean has assembled a programme of luscious Romantic works.

Albeit not included in this recital, Brahms serves as the link to all four works. Gustav Jenner was his only long-term pupil; the teacher’s stylistic shadow can be sensed in Jenner’s Clarinet Sonata, an ambitious work showcasing the instrument’s innate mellifluousness. Robert and Clara Schumann were Brahms’s friends and mentors, and Jean has recorded arrangements of their beautiful Romances. Weber aptly closes the recital – Brahms delayed his retirement after hearing his clarinet concerto – with the Grand Duo Concertant.