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| Charles Stier > Reviews |
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| CD Review for The Clarinet in the Age of Enlightment (1997) |
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"This CD is characterized by excellent performances throughout and is an historically valuable project that belongs in every clarinetist's library of recordings." -- NACWPI Journal, Winter 1998-1999 |
| CD Review for One (1996) |
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"Capricious, spiky, adventuresome, eccentric, meditative, exotic, jagged, brilliant, coolly expressive. An interesting collection…astutely gathered. Stier is a strong player, with a fluid technique and a strong, attractively colored tone." -- Fanfare, The Magazine for Serious Record Collectors, March/April 1997 |
| CD Reviews for Cameos (1994) |
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"This is an unabashed collection of miniatutres, all lyrical, all effortlessly played by Charles Stier, who has a tone as smooth as white chocolate. You can't help admiring the intelligent brio of Molly Newton's accompaniment" -- Fanfare, The Magazine for Serious Record Collectors, March/April 1995 "Well-chosen and delightfully played by Charles Stier and Molly Newton. This music sounds the way Belgian chocolate tastes." -- The Washington Post November 6, 1994 |
| "The
repertoire is very well chosen and the performance is wonderfull."
-- Claudio Scimone, I Solisti Veneti, Padova, Italy
"Subtle" -- Tokyo, Japan "You revealed your innermost soul. It is simply wonderful...putting the listeners into another world." -- Wurlitzer, Neustadt a/d Aisch, Germany "I am consistently struck by the beauty of the playing...sensitive, reflective quality" -- Lafayette, Indiana "Artistic attention to detail...truly a feast for the ears" -- Lindau, Germany |
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| "Lovely...charming" -- Pensacola, FL |
"Masterly" -- Caracas, Venezuela |
| CD reviews for The Art of the Romantic Clarinet (1991) | |
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"Excellent"
-- KKHI, San Francisco, CA |
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"Every so often in the clarinet world a solo recording comes along that sets the standard by which all others must be judged. In this reviewer's opinion, such classics as Robert Marcellus' Mozart Concerto or Karl Leister's Brahms Quintet epitomize depth of musical understanding combined with a uniquely beautiful and personal style of playing. Stier's interpretation of Reger's towering Sonata in B-flat Op.107 is another classic landmark in the history of clarinet recordings. This performance exemplifies a deep and genuine balance between the manuscript's technical demands and consummate artistry. The listener experiences a mystical journey from the passionate opening theme of the first movement--Moderato, to the sensitive and intimate Adagio, to the exciting and driving Allegretto con grazia. His Brahms Sonata in F minor Op.120, No.1 certainly is both powerful and spirited. During the Andante un poco Adagio, Stier's performance is both exquisitely intimate and uniquely expressive. Stier's sound is dark and lyrical. This is created in part by the fact that his clarinets were designed and crafted specifically for him by the German master, Herbert Wurlitzer. These "Reform- Boehm" clarinets feature a special interior design, mouthpiece and fingering system. The Wurlitzer "Reform-Boehm" clarinet appears to bridge the gap between the French fingering system and the German bore. Bloomquist plays with the bravura of a soloist and the sensitivity of a lieder companion. The colors, clarity and depth of sound that he draws from the handmade Falcone piano used on this recording is the perfect match for Stier's Wurlitzer clarinet. The Falcone's rich, lower register is well balanced with the brilliant and exciting upper register. The quality of the recording itself is very much like a good chamber music hall--clean and clear with just a touch of ambience. This disc is the recording debut of two up-and-coming American soloists. In this reviewer's opinion, this is a must-purchase for any serious audiophile." -- The Clarinet, May-June 1990 Issue |
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| "This is an album to cherish: a fitting tribute to a young artist at the very peak of his performing power with finesse to burn." -- Robert Muczynski, Composer, 3/25/90 |
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YOUNG MUSICIANS DON'T LACK FOR SOPHISTICATION Two young American artists are featured on this new release from a small East Coast label, but there's nothing small about their performances. Stier possesses a formidable technique and, more importantly, a musician's intelligence as he approaches these two closely structured works. Stier offers a straightforward account of both scores, perhaps a little quicker than some in the Brahms, and plays with sophistication, imaginative phrasing and plenty of warmth (helped by a good ambient recording). Admirers of the music--and the Reger is a much-neglected but quality score--or those curious about Stier and Bloomquist--a finely matched accompanist--should be very satisfied." -- The State, Columbia, SC, May 6, 1990 |
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| "Charles
Stier [is] regarded as a first-rate American clarinetist. Stier's tone is
mellow and graceful in the Reger and the stress here, as in the Gade, is
on the beauty of the melodic line. The Weber is ebullient, spirited and
genuinely inspired in execution." -- Fanfare, November/December 1993, Vol.17, No.2 |
| "Stier and Bloomquist provide an account of imaginative sobriety, concentrating on a big line through all of Reger's blandishments of expressive detail. It is in every respect a great improvement over the recently CD'd 1981 recording by Eduard Brunner and Gerhard Oppitz." -- Fanfare, September/October 1990 |
| "It is the most appealing performance of a Reger piece I can recall hearing. Stier's splendidly mellow tone and the exemplary musicianship of both performers are the primary attractions." -- The Washington Post, August 5, 1990 |
| "The instrumental idol may find popularity a fickle thing. The artist hailed today may not be the hero of tomorrow. This listener at times has marvelled at the paucity of recognized instrumentalists when listening to clarinet virtuosos whose obvious talents go unheralded. In the solo clarinet field, the public seems to have a penchant for passing by a soloist unless the artist is a Benny Goodman, a Reginald Kell or a Richard Stolzman. Charles Stier has been hailed as a leader of the new generation of classical clarinet soloists. His dark, lyrical tones have caught the ear of the American public. Stier has performed with cellist Leslie Parnas, known to Cedar Rapids audiences, and the Cleveland Quartet. His broadcasts on National Public radio have been well received. He now is associated with a trio rounded out by pianist William Bloomquist and cellist Bernard Greenhouse. Stier makes his solo recording debut and Bloomquist collaborates with him on this occasion. Bloomquist's scintillating keyboard work complements and enhances Stier's performance." -- Cedar Rapids Gazette, October 5th, 1990 |
| Concert Performances |
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| Book Review for Clarinet Reeds: Definitive Instruction in an Elusive Art |
| "Charles Stier's Clarinet Reeds--Definitive Instruction in an Elusive Art, approaches its subject with a fresh and unusually successful attempt at discussing and quantifying the essential qualities of a good reed. Stier does not get bogged down in the minutiae of measurements, nor in the deatials of charts on playing characteristics and adjustments. Instead his approach starts with the player's impression of a reed's musical potential (how it sounds), and then leads towards the outer playing characteristics (how it feels). Along the way he addresses various aspects of a good reed--tone, pitch, flexibility, articulation, legato--and provides easily grasped adjustment solutions to provide the optimum balance. |
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| Stier's lucid prose serves him well for making effective explanations, laying out a philosophical approach to the variations in reeds, and establishing an approach to selection and adjustment. The general approach shows a great deal of common sense. Most of the illustrations of the component parts of the reed and its areas of adjustment are well done." -- The Clarinet, May/June 1991 |
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