International Record Review
Probably almost every clarinetist at some time or another comes upon one or other of these attractive and beautifully contrasted character pieces in their piano version, but Alexander has turned them into a five movement clarinet quintet!
The delectable soloist, Robert Plane, must be smiling for joy at this unexpected addition to the (wonderful but small) clarinet quintet repertoire.
There are, of course, numerous recordings in the catalogue of those Five Bagatelles in their original version with piano. Plane himself has previously recorded them for Naxos, in an arrangement for clarinet and string orchestra, rather than string quartet! Since the coupling there is his sensitive version of another Finzi masterwork in the shape of the Clarinet Concerto, devotees of the composer may well have that disc in their possession already.
