The Carducci Quartet, who perform on this album, took their name from the town of Castagneto-Carducci in Italy, where they curate a festival.
Compositional Technique
David Bruce's Gumboots is structured in two main parts: a tender, slow-moving first half and a contrasting second half consisting of five increasingly lively 'gumboot dances'.
Interpretation
Julian Bliss, the clarinetist, chose to pair David Bruce's contemporary piece Gumboots with Brahms's Clarinet Quintet, finding them to work well together despite seeming like 'polar opposites'.
Composition History
David Bruce's Gumboots was inspired by Gumboot Dancing, a form of secret communication developed by miners in South Africa during Apartheid, who were chained together in flooded gold mines.
Performer Biography
Julian Bliss, the clarinetist on this album, started playing the clarinet at age four and has inspired young players by creating his own line of affordable clarinets.
Composer's Artistic Vision
David Bruce, the composer of Gumboots, views his piece as an abstract celebration of dance's rejuvenating power, moving from introspection to celebration, rather than specifically being 'about' Gumboot dancers.
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