Pascal Moraguès

The great French clarinetist's liquid phrasing and dynamic range, from full-throated ecstasy to sublime pianissimo, was produced so naturally that it took the audience's collective breath away; in ten brief minutes it characterized the bonds of professional and personal friendships that made the ten-day festival an endearing experience for all involved. Pinto-Ribeiro was the perfect Schumann pianist throughout, the music bubbling from his piano clear and refreshing as a mountain spring, his notes voiced delicately like sensitive jewels. Moraguès adorned the pure sound of his instrument with gentle flashes of color, turning the central section of the second movement into a noble paean to nature. As he does when his spirit is most honestly invoked, Schumann spoke directly through Moraguès and Pinto-Ribeiro, allowing the two musicians to reveal the dimensions of their own love for music. Read more