The album of chamber music by Pamela Harrison from the Gould Piano and Robert Plane, curated by Robert Plane, was released by Resonus Classics on 10th February, and was featured as one of Gramophone Magazine’s “best new classical albums this week”.

Pamela Harrison (1915-1990) was a British composer who studied at the Royal College of Music with Gordon Jacob and Arthur Benjamin. Resonus’s album booklet describes her as one of a whole generation of women composers ‘whose star shone brightly in the aftermath of the second world war but who subsequently faded into obscurity as the establishment turned towards the European avant-garde’. This disc, the culmination of many months of research by clarinettist Robert Plane, helps to correct this unjust balance, giving premiere recordings to a wide variety of Harrison’s chamber works.

Six different instrumental ensembles feature on the disc across eight different works, with clarinettist Robert Plane and the members of the Gould Piano Trio appearing in various combinations. The Goulds perform Harrison’s Piano Trio, and pianist Benjamin Frith is busy performing the Clarinet Sonata with Robert Plane and the Violin Sonata with Lucy Gould. Frith also accompanies for selection of shorter works including Idle Dan and the Sonnet for cello and piano with Richard Lester, the Faggot Dance for bassoon and piano with guest artist Florence Plane, and Drifting Away for clarinet and piano with Robert Plane, inspired by the W.B. Yeats line ‘All that’s beautiful drifts away like the waters’. The album opens with Harrison’s marvellous Quintet for Clarinet and Strings for which Rob, Lucy and Richard are joined by guest string players David Adams and Gary Pomeroy.

Rob and the Goulds previously enjoyed immersing themselves in the music of Pamela Harrison at last year’s Corbridge Chamber Music Festival in Northumberland, of which they are joint Artistic Directors. They chose to throw a particular spotlight on Harrison’s music throughout the Festival, which included performances of her orchestral Suite for Timothy, Clarinet Sonata and Violin Sonatina, as well as an exhibition dedicated to her life and work featuring photos, letters, concert programmes and musical memorabilia, assembled by Robert Plane together with the composer’s son (Timothy).

“Pamela Harrison: Chamber Works” is available on all major streaming platforms, and the physical CDs can be purchased directly from the Artist or via the normal channels.