Well, I’ll happily admit that I’m not your natural choice for a connoisseur of the classics, but I do know what tickles my fancy. And boy, do I have a soft spot for Saint-Saëns. The man’s got some serious style. So, if you’re rustling up a collection of clarinet tunes, why not kick off the show with his absolute gem, the Clarinet Sonata in E-flat major? It’s all romance and honeyed melodies, with that clarinet taking centre stage, and showing off its chops like nobody’s business.
But wait, there’s more! They’re not stopping there. They’re making a case for the clarinet, an instrument that often gets shoved behind violins and pianos. Poulnec’s Sonata brings a dash of jauntiness and pure joy to the mix, while the lesser-known Draesecke takes us back to those dreamy romantic vibes. And, of course, there’s that old faithful, Bozza’s Aria, a swan song that’s as smooth as butter.
Let’s be honest: the clarinet doesn’t always get top billing in the world of orchestral shindigs, but this album, my goodness, it’s shouting from the rooftops, making a darn good case for the clarinet to step into the limelight more often. This gorgeous collection is all the proof we need that the clarinet’s got what it takes to steal the show in the works yet to come.
