Sharon Kam: Portrait

Sharon Kam (clarinet), Isabelle van Keulen, Ulrike-Anima Mathe, Volker Jacobsen, Gustav Rivinius, Martin Helmchen, Itamar Golan, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Ruben Gazarian.

'In the recordings I have made in recent years, from the Classical clarinet concerto to arrangements of opera music for clarinet and orchestra, I have set out to display my artistic spectrum. This versatility in the instrument is what interests me and it is constantly arousing my curiosity about the various forms of expression it offers. Composers of the respective periods have demonstrated that the clarinet is a suitable instrument with which to discover new aspects of musical style within the various eras.

‘Which composer is my favourite? Mozart has accompanied me throughout my career as a musician. He is and always will be a genius; his clarinet music still shines in the Classical firmament after more than 200 years. But ultimately one’s personal taste changes and so do one’s musical interests as time goes by. Most recently it was Max Reger who really caught my fancy. I was deeply involved with his sonatas and quintet for a long time. This intensive engagement led to my CD release in time for the centenary of his death in 2016.

‘Before Reger it was Italian opera composers like Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi or Giacomo Puccini, whose music I have played in arrangements for clarinet and orchestra. And of course this artistic creativity never stops, there are lots of new ideas and plans. The end of last year was overshadowed by the death of the conductor Kurt Masur, to whom I am greatly indebted and from whose work I was able to learn a great deal. I would love to dedicate a recording or a new project to him.

‘So in looking back over the last few years and forward to new visions for the time to come I can only say: “What a delight it has been.” This wonderful instrument gives me a lot of variety and the constant artistic challenge of presenting clarinet music to my audiences. Enjoy listening!’
Sharon Kam

Brahms:
 2. Satz aus der Sonate für Klarinette & Klavier

Kreisler:
 Syncopation

Milhaud:
 Brasileira Nr. 3
 Scaramouche op. 156b

Mozart:
 4. Satz aus dem Klarinettenquintett A-Dur

Puccini/Tarkmann:
 Ore dolce e divino aus "La Rondine"

Reger:
 4. Satz aus dem Klarinettenquintett A-Dur

Rossini/Tarkmann:
 Finale aus "La Cenerentola"

Tschaikowsky:
 Valse sentimentale Nr. 6
 6 Morceaux op. 51

Verdi:
 Ad una stella - Lieder für Singstimme und Klavier Nr. 13

Wolf-Ferrari/Tarkmann:
 Danza napolitana nach "I gioielli della Madonna"