I am indebted to Michael Freyhan's erudite note for information about these pretty well unknown works. Spohr's short variations are based on a theme taken from a discarded early opera composed in 1808. They make up an attractive piece, very well written to show off the clarinet's capabilities. Julius Rietz (1812–77) earned Mendelssohn's admiration as a conductor when he was the composer's assistant at Dusseldorf. His Concerto shows the influence of Mendelssohn's style and is a neatly written, quite effective work. The two-movement Sinfonie Concertante of Etienne Solere (1753–1817), one-time professor of clarinet at the Paris Conservatoire, is a fairly uninspired though ingeniously constructed work, composed in classical style. The Leipzig-born Gustaf Heinze (1820–1904) spent most of his life in Holland, but as a youth played the clarinet under Mendelssohn's direction in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. His Konzertstuck is a well-written but slightly humdrum essay cast in three short, connected movements.
Thea King has made a number of excellent recordings for Hyperion. She is a wise, experienced, very accomplished artist, with an excellent technique, who has the remarkable ability to play with unselfconscious spontaneity under recording conditions. Her performances on this disc are extremely fine indeed, and she brings out the very best in each work. The orchestral playing is everywhere first class, and only a trace of background rumble detracts very slightly from an otherwise excellent recording.'