The ‘nightingale’ is a reference to the metaphor which is attributed to Brahms’ clarinettist friend, Richard Muhlfeld. The great composer had reportedly referred to Muhlfeld as « my nightingale » in complimenting his beautiful playing.

This world premiere recording is the culmination of Jerome Summers’ vision of commissioning five new works for clarinet and string orchestra. In selecting the four Canadian composers Oliver Whitehead, Michael Conway Baker, Dale Reubart and Ronald Royer, he had requested that the music be essentially lyrical in nature, scored for strings (with the possibility of piano,harp and percussion added), and explore the full range of the instrument both in dynamic and colouristic terms.

« a delicious new recording…Jerome Summers
playing is musical and expressive, with a particularly rich low register…the recording production is ‘demonstration class’…it
proves that contemporary compositions can have immediate appeal… »
– Rick Phillips, Sound Advice, CBC Radio Two

RONALD ROYER

1-2. Romance for Clarinet, Harp, Piano and Strings

OLIVER WHITEHEAD

3-6. Pissarro Landscapes for Clarinet, Piano and Strings

MICHAEL CONWAY BAKER

7-8. Concerto for clarinet, piano, percussion, and strings, Op. 120: Larghetto

9-10. Vivo

DALE REUBART

11-12. Fantasy for Clarinet and Strings

RONALD ROYER

13-14. Rhapsody for Clarinet, Percussion and Strings