Chamber Works : R.Plane(Cl)S.Francis(Ob)Hermitage String Trio, etc

WILLIAM ALWYN (1905-1985) : Chamber Music

Clarinet Sonata
Oboe Sonata
Viola Sonatina*
Suite for Oboe and Harp
String Trio
Conversations

*World Premiere Recording

Hermitage String Trio
Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola)
Lucy Gould (violin)
Robert Plane (clarinet)
Sophia Rahman (piano)
Sarah Francis (oboe)
Lucy Wakeford (harp)

Recorded at Henry Wood Hall, London, England, on 4th and 5th October, 2009

Among British composer William Alwyn’s large body of work, including five symphonies, concertos for flute, oboe, violin, harp, piano, and many shorter orchestral works, there is a significant amount of chamber and instrumental music. This disc presents six works which were composed between 1934 and 1962. During this time, Alwyn’s style developed from the easy flowing melodies exemplified in the Oboe Sonata, Viola Sonatina (here receiving its world premiere recording), and Suite for Oboe and Harp to the more astringent and darker language of the Clarinet Sonata and String Trio. Conversations, originally named Music for Three Players, comprises eight short descriptive pieces. ( NAXOS )