Robin Milford was a friend of Gerald Finzi and this work certainly owes something to that major 20th century composer. The Quintet is full of wonderful tunes as well as robust and characteristic writing for both the Clarinet and Strings. Arranged for Clarinet and String Quartet.

Clarinet Quintet in A major op. 146-With his Clarinet quintet begun in 1915 Reger was remembering his role models Mozart and Brahms whose works in this genre he particularly admired. This melancholic quintet that is worked through in a strictlymotivic way was to be Reger’s last opus.Shortly after he had sent it to his publisher he died of heart attack in May 1916. The quintet was to become his swan song first performed at a memorial for the composer on6 November 1916. Almost one hundred years later we are now publishing it for the first time in an Urtext edition edited by the Reger scholar Michael Kube.

Ever since Mozart encountered the Clarinet in Mannheim in 1778 he loved the instrument?s warm and expressive tone. His friendship with Anton Stadler the clarinetist in the Royal-Imperial Court Orchestra in Vienna prompted him to compose not only the Clarinet Concerto (K. 622) but also this ?Quintet of Quintets? which was written two years before his death. Like almost all his works for the Clarinet this Quintet wasprobably intended originally for the Basset Clarinet. However it survives only in two posthumous prints both of which call for a standard Clarinet. These prints form the basis of our edition. As an added bonus the appendixcontains a fragmentary Allegro in Bb major for the same combination of instruments.

First performance on 20th November 2007 at St George’s Hall Liverpool by Nicholas Cox (Clarinet) and the Chilingirian Quartet as part of the Rodewald Concert Series.

First performance on 20th November 2007 at St George’s Hall Liverpool by Nicholas Cox (Clarinet) and the Chilingirian Quartet as part of the Rodewald Concert Series.

For Clarinet solo with wind quartet and string quartet. Score OnlyFirst performed by Michael Collins Clarinet London Winds and the Endellion String Quartet on 27th January 2011 at the Wigmore Hall London.Scoring:Solo ClarinetFluteOboeBassoonFrench Horn2 ViolinsViolaCelloDuration:circa 13 minutes'During a visit to the exhibition of Francis Bacon at the Tate Gallery in December 2008my eye fell on Figure in a Landscape 1945 which resonated in me powerfully. It is a sceneof devastation and despair and also it seemed to me of latent anger and hostility... butabove it all a serene blue sky beckons. So perhaps even in the darkest moments there is aglimmer of hope - the possibility of change.This idea became the starting point for this work - Towards the Blue - a mini concerto forclarinet who eventually becomes the leader of the group.The work starts without the clarinet and all is desolate yet fiercely argumentative discordant and uncomfortable. Suddenly the offstage clarinet is heard and the players insurprise are quietened. However when the clarinet enters and approaches with a lyricalmusical motif some of the players respond others resist. Gradually the clarinetpersuades the dissident voices to join him in a spirit of co-operation and harmony.A brief memory of the opening desolation casts a momentary shadow which is quicklydispelled by the coda marked Gioioso.'Thea Musgrave (May 13th 2010)Parts available for hire separately