Howard Blake, the composer of the Clarinet Concerto, is known for his music for The Snowman, including the song 'Walking in the Air', and has composed widely for ballet, television, cinema, and theatre.
Performer Biography
Dame Thea King, the clarinet soloist, is a highly respected artist who has performed internationally and was principal clarinet for many years with the English Chamber Orchestra.
Composition History
Lutoslawski's Dance Preludes were originally written for clarinet and piano in 1954, with the orchestral version recorded here dating from 1955.
Composer Biography
Mátyás Seiber, a pupil of Kodály, sought refuge in Britain from Nazi tyranny, bringing with him his Hungarian heritage, a love of jazz, and an awareness of Bartók and Hindemith.
Historical Context
Witold Lutoslawski's Dance Preludes were created during a difficult period in post-WWII Poland when the Communist regime demanded 'accessible' and folkloristic music.
Composition History
Howard Blake's Clarinet Concerto was commissioned by Thea King, the soloist on this recording, and she premiered it at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in June 1985.
Composition History
Mátyás Seiber's Concertino for Clarinet and String Orchestra began as a quintet titled Divertimento, sketched during a train journey in 1926, and was later arranged for string orchestra in 1951.
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