The Clarinet & All That Jazz, City Hall, Monday,–January 28, 2008

Father and son duo Richard Stolzman (clarinet) and Peter John Stolzman (piano) played a highly spirited and varied programme of modern music at City Hall on Monday.

The father is regarded as the finest clarinettist in the world and proved it on the night. That the son matched his talent was therefore something of a revelation.

Hard as it might seem to believe, not that long ago, the clarinet held a position in popular music akin to that of the electric guitar today.

In the hands of Benny Goodman, or Artie Shaw, the liquorice stick led the band.

To be heard above The Herd required amplification; at City Hall, Mr. Stolzman could be heard throughout the room, thanks to nothing more than his powerful lungs.

The programme was presented in two halves. The first opened with selections from Debussy and Messiaen.

The latter, L'Abîme des Oiseaux (Abyss of the Birds), played solo by Mr. Stolzman, drew from the clarinettist the most extraordinary degree of control and expression.

It was a magnificent tour de force, and even those who often find Messiaen hard going could not fail to have been entranced.

The balance of the first half, and all of the second, were given over to more easily recognisable music.

A Bernstein Sonata and suite from West Side Story rounded out the first programme; the second consisted of suites of songs by 'Duke' Ellington, Thelonius Monk and George Gershwin.

This was what the audience had come to hear — all that jazz — and they were not disappointed.

Monk's complex music was once considered hard to appreciate, but an unusually small Festival crowd was utterly enthused by Peter John Stolzman's exhilarating and buoyant piano work, and roared its approval. Rightly so.

The younger Mr. Stolzman delivered his take on Monk's challenging musical equations with verve and intelligence.

He had already insinuated some Monkish notions into the Ellington suite, but let rip on 'Round Midnight. It was a rare treat.

I rate Thelonius Monk one of the 20th century's greatest composers and musicians, a pianist without parallel, so such praise is by no means given lightly.

Mr. Stolzman did not merely imitate the style of Monk: he enhanced it.

I have seen a dozen men try, not one of whom came close to what Mr. Stolzman achieved.

The admixture of a world-class clarinet, and the father/son bond so evident in the way the two men traded phrases (and silences), was an absolute joy. High culture, indeed.

Not content with channelling Monk, Mr. Stolzman threw some excellent stride and barrel rolls into the evening's other selections.

His style encompasses all manner of creative takes. His father duly entered into the spirit of the moment and the pair cut loose on the Porgy and Bess suite. Joyous, it was.

Mr. Stolzman's clarinet phrasings sounded entirely different from those of Goodman, Shaw or any other clarinettist I have ever heard; his style and tone are his own. Most comfortable in the lower registers, his ability to produce sweet, small notes was beyond compare and his breath control something to behold.

After taking a couple of curtain calls, Messrs. Stolzman returned to play as an encore an affecting but simple tune: Amazing Grace.

No two words better sum up the evening's performance.

The duo will play again on Friday, and promise two different programmes, interpreting the music of Cole Porter, Gershwin and Dave Brubeck, among others.

Tickets are probably available. Don't miss it.