Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the end of time

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I hate Clarinets… Someone should try to perform this piece with something else playing that part. Maybe Flute or Oboe. Or, (here’s a stretch) how about the Duduk, the Armenian “slide clarinet”? My problem is this: no matter WHO is playing the instrument, the upper range of ANY CLARINET SQUEAKS. It sounds like a 6th grader learning to play (just those notes). And don’t get me wrong, the “intonation“ is good (an inadequate word in this case), the volume and balance between the players is good. It’s a Good (maybe not great but good) interpretation of one of the Seminal Works of our generation (I’m Old). So my critique is really off the mark I suppose, considering the piece was written for Clarinet. I’ve just Never heard a clarinetist I liked. Well, maybe Benny Goodman…. I liked the pianist. The cellist’s intonation was a little bit off too. There’s a Deutsche Grammophon recording with D. Barenboim at the piano that is probably my favorite. I think it was probably made in the mid 70s. Oh, I should’ve also said: this is a VERY Daunting piece to Get Right.