"This Concerto has to be one of the greatest and most passionate clarinet concertos of all time. Finzi is probably my favourite composer ever, i have listened to practically every piece of music he has ever composed and arranged and do not dislike any one of them for i can feel the sheer passion and story in each! This clarinet concerto has to be my favourite clarinet concerto, for its remarkable sense of key, dynamic, phrasing etc. When i play this piece i suddenly feel lost in the music, especially in the first and second movements, the first movement is very minor and expressive, the second is also very expressive but more 'legato' and relaxed, the last movement being quite 'jolly' especially in the opening first few bars. To anyone who has never heard this piece before i suggest you listen to a recording of it and decide for yourself whether or not you are going to play, but take my word for it--you might aswell buy the sheet music first because there is without a doubt a 100% surity of you buying it!!!"

Rating: 17/10/2003 By: James Brookmyre