Elegie

"This fine portrait disc begins with Messe, an orchestral Mass without words - impressive, if a little remote. But humanity leaps back with some playful clarinet miniatures and the eloquent memorial of Élégie, with Widmann soaring with his clarinet, far beyond what would ordinarily be possible. Committed playing too from Christoph Poppen and the German Radio Philharmonic." The Times, 16th April 2011 ****

"These concentrated miniatures of almost Webern-like brevity showcase Widmann's virtuosity as well as his comprehensive understanding of his instrument's capabilities. These qualities are projected on to a much more expansive orchestral canvas in Elegie...Widmann envisages the orchestra as "singing" the words, interspersed with purely instrumental interludes" The Guardian, 21st April 2011 ***

Jörg Widmann (born 1973 in Munich) is one of the rapidly rising stars of contemporary music, very highly regarded as both composer and interpreter. After an acclaimed ECM debut as solo clarinettist last year in Erkki-Sven Tüür's concerto Noēsis, now comes a portrait album that addresses both aspects of Widmann's creativity, the composer and the resourceful instrumentalist.

Christoph Poppen conducts the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie in two major works of broad scope - Messe for large orchestra, and Elegie for clarinet & orchestra. In between are the Fünf Bruchstücke from 1997, fascinating miniatures that find Widmann the clarinettist in speeding dialogues with Heinz Holliger, the latter making a recorded debut as pianist. With large or small forces, these are powerful and profoundly musical performances.

Jörg Widmann, who studied composition with Hans Werner Henze, Heiner Goebbels and Wolfgang Rihm has an expansive understanding of the structural and sound-colour possibilities of the music of our time. Few composers of his generation have received as many accolades and awards. His long list includes the Arnold Schoenberg Prize, the Claudio Abbado Composition Award, the Elise L. Stoeger Prize of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, New York, and more. In 2009 London's Wigmore Hall devoted several concerts to his music.

As chamber musician Widmann performs regularly with partners including András Schiff, Tabea Zimmermann, Kim Kashkashian, and Hélène Grimaud. As a soloist he has achieved great success with orchestras around the world and given premieres of major works by Wolfgang Rihm, Aribert Reimann and Heinz Holliger.