Robert Plane‘s new album ‘The Lily of Killarney‘ is the subject of his in-depth article for Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine.
Appearing in the September issue, Robert’s article gives insight into the world of this album, which features largely unknown English and Irish Fantasias for clarinet and piano, and includes works by Thomas Dunhill, Howard Ferguson, Ruth Gipps, Joseph Holbrooke, Elizabeth Maconchy, Thomas Pitfield, Clarence Raybould and Ernest Tomlinson. The collection also features three Fantasias on operas by Michael Balfe, Julius Benedict and Vincent Wallace, later known as ‘The Irish Ring’.
Robert is respected nationwide for his championship of British clarinet music in concert and on disc. His ongoing research project into the works of Pamela Harrison has resulted in two discs of her works, and was given a special feature in Clarinet & Saxophone Magazine. His recent solo album ‘Isotonic’ was released in July 2023, also on Resonus, and features four of his commissions from the past twenty-five years, including the clarinet concertos of Diana Burrell and Mark David Boden, recorded with the BBC Philharmonic.
‘The Lily of Killarney’ comes as a natural continuation of Robert’s tireless commitment to British repertoire, and has enabled him to explore the operatic fantasia for clarinet, an avenue that is entirely new to him.
Discussing the genesis of this project, Robert writes that it comes as the result of the work of clarinettist Howard Rogerson, a former member of the orchestra of Opera North and an expert the field of opera fantasias for clarinet. Rogerson approached Robert and his long-term duo partner, pianist Benjamin Frith, to record the operatic fantasias, which served as the inspiration for the rest of the disc’s curation. In the article, Robert writes “Howard Rogerson and [his wife] Valerie Baulard were also on hand in the booth to answer questions concerning vocal style and light opera tradition. The lighter pieces also gave me an opportunity to explore new colours, in particular a warmer vibrato than I would ordinarily use in the British repertoire I’ve explored to date. And of course, the ‘Ring’ fantasies were the perfect vehicle through which to channel my inner Diva!”
‘The Lily of Killarney’ will be released on 3rd October MPR, and is reviewed by Abigail Stinchon in this issue of Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine – please click here to read the review.
