English Classical Clarinet Concertos

The clarinet began life as a poor relation to the oboe and flute. Players usually doubled roles, and it was not until the 1770s, nearly eighty years after the instrument's invention, that any significant dedicated repertory developed.

The concertos on this recording show the extent to which native English composers quickly embraced the galant idiom in works of great spirit which frequently exploit the more colourful palette to be drawn from the clarinet when it is employed in tonalities remote to the natural pitch of the instrument.

CDH55261  69 minutes 14 seconds
‘Dazzlingly played by Colin Lawson, a sustained tour de force of virtuosity, coupled with a depth and richness of tone one hardly expects from a period clarinet as well as high musicianship. Anyone in ...
‘This is a really delightful collection of pieces. Both Lawson and Harris play superbly throughout, blending well together and displaying immaculate intonation’ (BBC Music Magazine)
'Un hermoso y magnificamente interpretado registro, con el habituel buen sonido de Hyperion' (CD Compact, Spain)