Some music we recommend:

As a clarinettist, I have particularly enjoyed opportunities to play with strings, rehearsing and performing quartets for clarinet and strings by Bernhard Henrik Crusell.

My edition of these quartets sports the charming dedication "For Connoisseurs and Amateurs." Apparently, Crusell was very anxious to write in a style which would appeal to both concert artists and amateurs and sought advice on this from Peters, his German publisher. Certainly, for clarinettists they are little gems. In two of the three quartets the clarinet is rather dominant (Crusell was a clarinet player) and this may lessen their appeal for string players to work on over long periods. However, they are enjoyable for everyone to play and interesting to rehearse as an ensemble. (Audrey)

Hartmann: Serenade Op. 24 (Clarinet, Cello & Piano) This was performed at the February, 2006, concert. It was a new discovery for us all and went down well with the audience. Alan gave us a little background to the piece:

"Emil Hartmann was descended from a German family which emigrated to Denmark, where he was born in 1836 and died in 1898. He is therefore an almost exact contemporary of Brahms.

He studied first with his father, Johan, who was born in 1805 and outlived his son by two years, and later with Niels Gade (Fantasy Pieces) who was married to his eldest sister.

From about 1861 until his death, he was organist at various churches in Copenhagen and was also well-known as a conductor. He wrote sacred music, seven symphonies and a concerto each for violin, 'cello, and piano.