Expressions - Leslie Craven, clarinet

ID: CC0059 (EAN: 5023581005924)  | 1 CD

LABEL:

Clarinet Classics

Collection:

Instrumental

Subcollection:

Clarinet

Other info:

A virtuoso recital C.D. of refreshing new tonal works for Clarinet
Leslie Craven clarinet (Principal Clarinettist of the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera)
Rachel Attwell piano
Katherine Thomas harp & celtic harp
Jonathan Burgess flute
Tom Jackson clarinet


The latest addition to the ever more diverse Clarinet Classics catalogue is Expressions CC0059, a delightfully impressive C.D. of exciting, new, virtuosic, instantly appealing and tuneful clarinet repertoire, ideal for inclusion in concert and recital. This entire CD of almost 80 minutes of music is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners; these compositions were inspired by and written for Leslie Craven, one of Britain’s leading exponents of the English School of clarinet playing.

Extract from review by John Playfair in Clarinet and Saxophone - journal of the Clarinet and Saxophone society of Great Britain

“This CD is advertised as 80 minutes of tonal and lyrical contemporary music, and that is exactly what you get. Apart from the slightly more “with it” solo Sonata by Tom Jackson (who also duets with Craven in a charming suite by Christopher Ball).........and almost everything seems to have been written for Craven himself. I was particularly taken by the two witty pieces by French naval clarinettist Daniel Bimbi , and Christopher Ball’s delightfully simple folk somgs with harp. But everything on the disc is enjoyable.............Craven plays ...with a svelte woody sound and fluent technique ......we should be grateful to him for introducing us to so much new material and the CD is well worth acquiring by all aspiring recitalists.”

This extract from Paul Kaiser, a reviewer of the Dutch clarinet magazine De Klarinet.
(a rough translation from the original Dutch)

“Expressions is a CD of a variety of music for clarinet in several settings... the title Expressions is well conceived however because every piece is relaxing and has something to say .....every number is worth the effort of listening to.... Leslie Craven has a solid sound and although not a young man, one does not hear this in his playing. He sounds like a young virtuoso, a vigorous musician and plays the pieces enthusiastically, and expressively. His sound is warm and focused and his tone has feeling. ..........he plays on his own design mouthpiece, the `Leslie Craven model Mouthpiece `. The opening work El Casot by Daniel Bimbi describes romantic adventures in the style of Flamenco, Czardas and Klezmer. ... One can hear that Bimbi is himself a clarinettist.... the music sounds very natural and lies comfortably for the instrument.
Vasco Hexel’s - Sonatina Lyrico - the name says everything : lyric music....a film score with only the picture missing ....Christopher Ball’s...Music for Youth - is nice, lively swinging and jazzy. You hear the two clarinettists playing a game with each other ....it has been cleverly written. In the folksongs by Ball the clarinet comes to the fore as a folk instrument ....and the combination with harp sounds terribly good. The work of Tom Jackson - Sonata for Clarinet Alone is in my view the strongest piece on the disc ....catches ones attention immediately and is direct and modern...the clarinet sings and tells a story....one hears the clarinettist has to give everything to make this contemporary work succeed ....that is the strength of a solo work. In short a CD with music to dream and relax to. Well worth buying, a welcome addition to the standard repertoire.”