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Martin Fröst is really amazing. He was the dedicatee of Kalevi Aho's recent clarinet concerto and both the work and performance are unearthly. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of technical limitations, but he also doesn't seem to come across as merely a technician and I think that keeping engaged with a lot of different styles, including folk musics, is part of what has helped to keep his playing humanized.
I don't even like clarinet all that much as a solo instrument, usually.
That's exactly what struck me about this. It's obviously a virtuoso performance. But that doesn't get in the way of the expressiveness and musicality. Truly awe-inspiring.
What 'folk musics' are you referring to? I couldn't find any non classical pieces by him apart from this one from his encore album Fröst and Friends.