Only two pieces in
this collection may be considered as
concertos and are in fact titled as
such. Carmichael’s Fêtes
Champêtres is more of
a suite of three dance movements in
an accessible, Gallic idiom often bringing
Poulenc to mind. It’s none the worse
for that since this attractive piece
is enjoyable from first to last. Originally
scored for symphony orchestra, it is
heard here in a version scored for smaller
orchestral forces made by the composer
for this recording.
RVW’s Six Studies
in English Folk Song were originally
written for cello and piano, but also
exist in alternative versions, including
one for clarinet and piano. This short
work is heard here in Arnold Foster’s
scoring for strings made in 1957.
Leighton Lucas’s music
is far too little known. Until this
disc I knew only his Symphonic
Suite for brass. The present
recording of his Clarinet Concerto
is most welcome. This is a rather serious
and fairly substantial work in three
movements exploiting the clarinet’s
agility in the outer movements as well
as its lyrical potential in the sombre
slow movement: more of an elegy than
a meditation. This superbly crafted
work repays repeated hearings and is
a welcome addition. It deserves to be
heard more often.
Procter-Gregg’s music
was completely unknown to me. I knew
of him only as one of Maxwell Davies’
teachers in Manchester. His Clarinet
Concerto is traditional in structure
and idiom. The first movement sometimes
seems to hark back to Brahms, but the
other two movements - a beautifully
lyrical Andante and an animated Allegro
molto - are obviously closer to the
20th Century mainstream,
neither reactionary nor progressive,
but certainly enjoyable.
Ian Scott plays beautifully
throughout; and all concerned seem to
enjoy themselves enormously. I cannot
but recommend this attractive collection
of unfamiliar, but rewarding works that
all deserve much more than the occasional
hearing.
Hubert Culot
NOTE: Paul Grunwell has written to MWI to point out that the RVW Six Studies here takes the form of an arrangement for clarinet with chamber orchestra of strings, woodwinds and harp.
Ian Scott (clarinet) 
