Ronald Woodley Presents a Varied Program for Clarinets

I applaud the thought that went into the program. The results were worth the effort. Ronald Woodley presents a recital of music. But this isn't just a recital of clarinet music. 

First, it's a recital of various reed instruments of the clarinet family. Second, the program focuses on works by contemporary British composers. 

Woodley's use of multiple instruments keeps listener engagement high. An hour of just clarinet music might be a challenge to sit through. But this group of instruments gives each work a distinctive sound. Which results in a varied program. 

Woodley's choice of composers is also spot on. Elisabeth Lutyens is a composer who's just now coming into her own -- forty years after her death. Here she's represented with two works: The Green Tide (for basset horn) and Five Little Pieces (for clarinet).

Three of the works were commissioned by Woodley. They are Angela Slater's Around the Darkening Sun, Christopher Fox's This Has Happened Before, and Liz Dilnot Johnson's The Space Between Heaven and Earth.

Woodley delivers some fine emotive performances. Reed instruments, like the voice, can use breaths to shape phrases. Woodley's playing has a lyric quality even when the music isn't necessarily tonal. 

A fine recital album.

Luminos: Contemporary Music for Clarinets
Ronald Woodley, clarinet, bassett horn, bass clarinet
Andrew West, piano
Metier 15631