Various Composers - Clarinet Fantasias from England and Ireland (Robert Plane; Benjamin Frith)

Information

• Michael William Balfe - Fantasia on "The Bohemian Girl" (arr. Charles le Thière)
• Ernest Tomlinson - Canzonetta for Clarinet & Piano
• Thomas Dunhill - Phantasy Suite, Op. 91
• Ruth Gipps - Cool Running Water, Op. 77
• Joseph Holbrooke - Mezzotints, Op. 55: VI. The Butterfly of the Ballet
• Julius Benedict - Fantasia on "The Lily of Killarney" (arr. Howard Rogerson)
• Elisabeth Maconchy - Fantasia for Clarinet & Piano
• Thomas Pitfield - Conversation Piece
• Clarence Raybould - The Wistful Shepherd
• Howard Ferguson - 4 Short Pieces, Op. 6
• Joseph Holbrooke - Mezzotints, Op. 55: VIII. Spring Song
• William Vincent Wallace - Fantasia on "Maritana" (arr. Charles le Thiere)

Robert Plane, clarinet

Benjamin Frith, piano

Date: 2025

Label: MPR

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This album presents a collection of rarely heard English and Irish Fantasias for clarinet and piano by composers including Dunhill, Ferguson, Gipps, Holbrooke, Maconchy, Pitfield, Raybould, and Tomlinson. Conceived by clarinettist Howard Rogerson, it also features three operatic Fantasias by Balfe, Benedict, and Wallace—collectively known as The Irish Ring for their shared Irish heritage. Performed by Robert Plane and Benjamin Frith, and produced by Mike Purton with engineering by Ben Connellan, the recording beautifully revives these lyrical and expressive works, offering a rich glimpse into a neglected corner of 20th-century British and Irish music.

British clarinettist Robert Plane, winner of the 1992 Royal Overseas League Music Competition, has built an acclaimed career as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral principal. His celebrated Naxos recording of Finzi’s Clarinet Concerto won Classic CD’s “Best Concerto Recording” and Gramophone’s “Editor’s Choice.” Principal clarinet of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, he has also performed with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and as guest principal with leading UK orchestras. A dedicated chamber musician, he co-founded the Plane Dukes Rahman Trio, teaches at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and co-directs the Corbridge Chamber Music Festival.

British pianist Benjamin Frith, hailed as a prodigy after winning the British National Concerto Competition at fourteen, went on to earn top prizes at the Rubinstein, Mozart Memorial, and Busoni International Piano Competitions. He has performed with major orchestras and conductors worldwide, including Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. With a repertoire spanning Bach to Tippett and over fifty concertos, Frith has made more than twenty-five acclaimed recordings, several listed in Gramophone’s Best CD Guide. A passionate chamber musician, he collaborates with renowned ensembles and artists such as the Gould Piano Trio and violinist Marat Bisengaliev.