Gerald Finzi; Freda Swain; Denis Apivor - Clarinet Concertos (Peter Cigleris)

Information

Composer: Gerald Finzi; Freda Swain; Denis Apivor

• Concertante for Clarinet, Piano & Percussion, Op. 7a
• Clarinet Concertino "Lumine naturi"
• Clarinet Concerto, Op. 31

Peter Cigleris, clarinet

Jonathan Raper, timpani / Austin Beattie, percussion / Lynn Arnold, piano

London Mozart Players / John Andrews, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: SOMM Recordings

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Clarinetist Peter Cigleris presents a concertante recording of British repertoire featuring the London Mozart Players led by conductor John Andrews, focusing on works composed in the late 1940s and associated with clarinettist Frederick Thurston (1901–1953). The programme includes the Clarinet Concerto by Gerald Finzi alongside two lesser-known British works, both receiving world-premiere recordings. These pieces are linked by their historical connection to Thurston, for whom they were conceived or influenced, and highlight the expressive potential of the clarinet within richly lyrical English orchestral writing. The release continues Cigleris’s focus on rediscovering neglected British repertoire, combining virtuosic performance with historical scholarship and orchestral refinement.

Peter Cigleris (born 1977) is an active soloist and chamber musician known for his advocacy of British clarinet repertoire and his wide-ranging performance career across Europe, North America, and the UK. He has appeared on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and lunchtime recital broadcasts, and has collaborated with ensembles such as the Tippett Quartet as well as artists including Julian Lloyd Webber. Cigleris regularly performs at festivals including the English Music Festival and ICA ClarinetFest, and has premiered works by composers such as Elizabeth Maconchy and Peter Seabourne. His discography includes Rediscovered on Cala Signum with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, featuring multiple world-premiere recordings of British concertos, further establishing his role as a leading interpreter and champion of underrepresented repertoire.