International Clarinet Association, Gail Lehto Zugger
Robert Plane’s work to showcase clarinet repertoire from Britain and Ireland continues with this recent album, The Lily of Killarney… In this latest album, Plane presents a wealth of British and Irish music both new and old with pianist Benjamin Frith. With a listening time of almost 80 minutes, the recording’s focus is three fantasias based on 19th-century Irish operas… The recording also features standard repertoire by Dunhill and Ferguson while also exposing the listener to works by seven other composers. A delightful though substantial undertaking!
“The centerpieces of this album, the three fantasias, harken back to those of Italian operas by Luigi Bassi and Donato Lovreglio… The synchronization of the rubato throughout the album is perfectly sequenced between Plane and Frith, a testament perhaps to their long history of performing and recording together. Plane’s committed, invested interpretations throughout seem even more so in the title work, The Lily of Killarney. Such an expressive offering here with vibrato employed!”
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The digital submission received by this reviewer also included Plane’s article published in the Autumn 2025 issue of Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine, the quarterly publication of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain. The article is recommended as it is full of expanded information about the works recorded and the inspiration for the recording. This is a successful resource of clarinet and piano music of Britain and Ireland! The recording quality is impressive, even on my laptop speakers.
“Plane’s clarinet tone is cored, sparkly, and even through the registers, without even a hint of spread at top of the clarion register. Highly recommended!”
