Classical review: Sophie Creaner (clarinet)/ Gabriela Mayer (piano)
The third of these six Summer Lunchtime Concerts introduced a young lady who seems destined for a stellar career. Some aspiring professionals make an indelible impression when one first hears them. Sophie Creaner is one of those. Not only does she have a captivating, charming platform presence — she also seems to have all the attributes (technical, musical, awareness of colour, dynamic contrasts, and rhythmic subtlety) of a great artist. She had the perfect partner in Gabriella Mayer, a superb pianist whose musical understanding complemented her own musicianship.
Weber’s Grand Duo Concertante (a sonata in all but name) needs players whose technical and musical gifts are equally matched. All of Weber’s musical ideas are equally shared between the two instruments. The rapport between Creaner and Mayer was total.
