1940 Reginald KELL MOZART CLARINET CONCERTO A Major K622 Sargent VICTOR M-708
$
75
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Description
British Clarinetist Reginald Kell in the first recording of Mozart Clarinet Concerto A Major
The Clarinet Concerto is Mozart’s last concerto, finished less than three months before his death in December 1791. For some it’s pure unclouded joy, but others find shadows beneath the smiling surface. There’s also the question ‘what kind of clarinet?’ The instrument Mozart had in mind had a deeper bass range than a modern one, and several players have taken it up, adapting the solo part. It makes a big difference to the concerto’s colour and character.
Reginald Kell’s playing has such ‘open’ eloquence that it feels as alive as ever. The expression is truly ‘vocal’ – at times you can almost make out words. It all sounds so natural.
Reginald Kell plays Mozart Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 (2/3)
London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent, recorded 1940
Canadian Victor Set M-708
Complete recording on 7 sides/ 4x12" Canadian Victors pressed in Camden 78 rpm, no album
Condition: EXCELLENT pristine BUT SIDE 1 has two 15 mm scratches will cause few mild clicks, plays EXCEPTIONALLY quiet rare ticvks
A SUPERB COPY
Reginald Kell (born York, England 1906, died 5 Aug 1981, Frankfort, Kentucky, USA) was a British clarinettist.
Kell was the first prominent player to apply vibrato consciously and consistently to his tone, in which respect he modelled himself on his colleague the oboist Léon Goossens. (Jack Brymer was another pioneer of vibrato, but came to prominence later than Kell.) Inspired by the great singers with whom he came in contact, notably Kirsten Flagstad, Kell sought to emulate their warm expressive sounds on the clarinet.[1]
Kell was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1929. After graduation he was Sir Thomas Beecham's choice as first clarinet for the London Philharmonic before the Second World War and the Royal Philharmonic after it. He was succeeded in the LPO by Bernard Walton and in the RPO by Jack Brymer. He was Arturo Toscanini's principal clarinettist in the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, and was invited, but declined, to take the same position in Toscanini's NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1939. [2]
His solo repertoire extended from Arcangelo Corelli and earlier to twentieth century works.
Kell emigrated to the USA in 1947 where he made a successful concert and recording career.[3] He was also a noted teacher, his best-known pupil being Benny Goodman who approached him for lessons in 1948/49. Kell initially refused, considering that any necessary changes would have an initial, temporary backwards effect on Goodman's playing; he did not want the American public to view him as "the man who ruined our Benny Goodman." Goodman persisted and Kell accepted him as a student in 1952 and taught him until his return to England.[4] His other pupils included the soloist and conductor Alan Hacker.[5]
Kell returned to England in 1958, taking up an appointment at the Royal Academy of Music.[6] He retired from playing in his early fifties, and returned to the USA in 1959, where he had a technical post for the local distributors of Boosey & Hawkes instruments.[7] He retired in 1966 and died in 1981.[8]
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