A whole disc of solo clarinet seems like a lot of just one flavor, but I found the pieces varied and delightful. I was drawn to it because I was looking for music by Betsy Jolas, with whom I studied a long time ago at Yale.
I don’t hear her music programmed or talked about much around Boston and I wanted to hear what she’s been doing, since way back in 1980.
Clarinetist Amanda McCandless is the soloist.
I listened to:
Betsy Jolas: Episode No. 9 “Forte magnum coloratum”
Shulamit Ran: 3 Scenes
Joan Tower: Wings
Chen Yi: Monologue (Impressions on “The True Story of Ah Q”)
I listened to the music of the composers whose names I recognized. There’s more to discover on this disc.
Mark Records, Catalog No 9773-MCD, released in 2012. I listened via Naxos Music Library.
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