Charles Villiers Stanford, born in Dublin in 1852 to a music-loving father, was recognized as a musical talent at an early age. He composed his first march at a young age, which was performed at the Theatre Royal in Dublin. At 18, Stanford went to Cambridge University, where he served as organist at Trinity College. His appreciation for Brahms was reflected in numerous premieres of the composer's works at the University Music Society. Stanford's Irish heritage significantly influenced his work, as evidenced by pieces such as the Irish Rhapsodies, the Irish Symphony, and the opera Shamus O'Brien.[2][3][5]
Stanford began composing for clarinet as early as 1880—even before Brahms created his famous clarinet works. The Clarinet Concerto, originally conceived for Richard Mühlfeld, was later premiered by Charles Draper. Stanford maintained a close relationship with Frederick Thurston, a prominent British clarinetist, who first performed the concerto in London in 1904. The masterful orchestration and melodic shaping influenced Thurston's later interpretations.
The three-movement structure of the Clarinet Concerto, a testament to Stanford's compositional mastery, captivated audiences. A well-balanced dialogue between soloist and orchestra connects the themes, while a dramatic recitative introduces the middle section. In the second movement, a chorale and surprising harmonic shifts lead to the lyrical main motif, before an energetic finale with Irish flair and virtuosic passages brings the work to a close.
Gerald Finzi, born in London in 1901, found his calling in music after a difficult childhood marked by tragic losses. Away from academic institutions, he developed his career as a composer and apple grower in Newbury after the war. Particularly during the postwar period, he created striking works such as Dies Natalis and the Clarinet Concerto, in which Finzi showcased his unmistakable personal style.
Finzi's Clarinet Concerto, first performed in 1949, impresses with its rich orchestral introduction and pastoral clarinet solos. The second movement unfolds with a magical interplay between strings and clarinet. The finale captivates with virtuosic passages in the style of English folk music and a brilliant conclusion.
The close collaboration between composer and performers is evident in Finzi's letters to Thurston, which document their shared pursuit of the work's optimal realization. Through meticulous attention to detail and musical sensitivity, a work of great depth emerged, one that continues to be performed with enthusiasm today.