The bulk of this enterprising
disc is given over to Phyllis Tate whose
1947 Sonata for Clarinet and Cello is
the most substantial work here. In four
movements this slightly unusual combination
proves highly effective as a means of
conveying those pensive asymmetries
that stud the slow opening movement.
The melancholy implicit in the writing
is dispelled by the perky martial drama
of the Vivo before the renewed depth
of the Sarabande. This is suffused with
keening exchanges between the two instruments
and, although they gather momentum,
one or other of the protagonists remains
in a state of withdrawal throughout.
After this Tate strikes a note of colour
and verve with a "scary movie"
theme full of menacing ostinati – and
then we’re off on a jaunty waltz with
its admixture of Prokofiev-like strut.
Her Air and Variations
dates from a decade later. There’s some
soaring lyricism for the clarinet in
the Aubade-like First Variation and
another pretty waltz in the succeeding
variation (in which the violin is slightly
too backwardly balanced). But all the
movements of this work are immediately
attractive, from the Serenade to the
Fourth Variation with its flighty violin
and clarinet exchanges and rather more
serious march section. The Three Pieces
were written for the 1980 National Clarinet
Competition for Young People and though
short they are deft and characterful
studies, taxing to play but rewarding
I should think – and enjoyable.
Karel Husa’s Évocations
de Slovaquie is undated here but presumably
was written during his stay in Paris
between the years 1946 and 1954. The
Mountains is the name of the first movement
– not necessarily the Tatras though
the complex swirling momentum does evoke
energised excitement. Night, the slow
movement, is by absolute contrast inward
and intense, austere and rapt and splendidly
sustained. The Dance is the finale –
opening with alternatingly stern and
driving industry propelled wither by
the string pizzicati or by the clarinet
– the finish is a real triumphant flourish.
Ingolf Dahl, German
born, is the only one of the trio of
composers here who can be relatively
accurately analysed stylistically. He
was firmly in the neo-classical tradition,
a fine interpreter of Stravinsky and
his Concerto a Tré shows him
in the best possible light. It’s idiomatically
written, spruce in profile, with especially
fine violin writing. It’s also humorous
and eventfully lively – with an essentially
open-air and warm-hearted profile.
Performances are excellent
with Lee Carroll Levine bearing her
responsibilities as clarinettist with
unflinching insight. A black mark to
the American booklet writer - if Prague
is in the Balkans then New York is the
capital of Canada. Otherwise an enthusiastic
welcome.
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb
offers the entire Gasparo catalogue
Lee Carroll (clarinet) 