This recital continues our celebration of Stanford’s centenary and his lifelong contribution to the clarinet repertoire. His Sonata is a generous work with a particular Irish resonance with the keening Lament in its slow movement exploring the expressive power of the clarinet. The Three Intermezzi are cheerful miniatures. John Ireland was a student of Stanford, his
Fantasy-Sonata is truly fantastical in its dizzying changes of mood and tempo and melodies demanding high virtuosity from both performers. Germaine Tailleferre lived a turbulent life and overcame many obstacles to keep composing. Her Arabesque is pure enchantment if very brief. She studied with Poulenc who complimented:
“How ravishing our Germaine was in 1917, with her schoolgirl’s satchel full of all the Conservatoire’s first prizes! How kind and gentle she was! … What a charming and precious contribution her music makes!” Poulenc himself made a more intense contribution with his Clarinet Sonata from over forty years later with its moods of melancholy and extravagance.
