Crusell - The Three Clarinet Quartets

This album features Bernhard Henrik Crusell’s three clarinet quartets, Op 2 in E-flat major, Op 4 in C minor, and Op 7 in D major, performed by Osmo Vänskä on clarinet with Pekka Kauppinen violin, Anu Airas viola, and Ilkka Pälli cello. These works reflect Crusell’s mastery in blending virtuosic clarinet passages with chamber music textures, showcasing lyrical melodies and classical forms influenced by Mozart and Beethoven. The quartets capture both technical brilliance and the refined elegance of early 19th-century music.