01 December
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Originally published in The Clarinet 46/1 (December 2018). Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members.   Audio Notes by Christopher Nichols New Recordings of Clarinet Music by Michele Mangani and James M. Stephenson Memories from Heaven: Music for Clarinet and Piano, released by Da Vinci Classics (C00104), presents clarinetist Sergio Bosi and pianist Riccardo Bartoli in a number of premiere recordings of compositions by esteemed Italian composer Michele Mangani (b. 1966). Mangani is a familiar name to the International Clarinet Association membership, with numerous works appearing on ClarinetFest® programs in recent years. This past summer at ClarinetFest® in Ostend, his Concerto for Clarinet received its premiereRead More →

04 September
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  Originally published in The Clarinet 45/4 (September 2018). Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members.     Audio Notes by Christopher Nichols New Music for Clarinet Duo Duets have been a significant aspect of pedagogy throughout the development of the clarinet, with notable contributions found in the methods of Jean-Xavier Lefèvre, Hyacinthe Klosé and Aurelio Magnani, to name only a few. However, in recent years the clarinet duo has found a place on the concert stage with an ever-expanding and diverse repertoire that exploits the capabilities of the instrument to extremes. Recent releases from three ensembles, AdZel Duo, Tosca Duo and Das Klarinettenduo, epitomize thisRead More →

Clarinet and Saxophone Classics
30 March
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      Originally published in The Clarinet 45/2 (March 2018). Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members. by Christopher Nichols Some 20 years ago, while still a high school student, I first encountered Clarinet Classics at the now defunct Tower Records Classical store on South Street in Philadelphia. I purchased several discs on that trip, one of which included The Early Clarinet Family, CC0004, which included works by Handel, Beethoven, Graupner, and Danzi performed on period instruments by English clarinetist Keith Puddy. At that time, I had acquired the music to Beethoven’s Duo No. 3 in B-flat, Wo027, for clarinet and bassoon and soughtRead More →

Christopher Nichols - Embrace
24 July
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      Originally published in The Clarinet 44/3 (June 2017). Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members. by Christopher Nichols As the Audio Reviews Editor, I enjoy the privilege of gaining familiarity with a significant number of remarkable artists, some of whom have been quite active in performance and recording activities. Prior to receiving several of her recent compact discs for review consideration in The Clarinet, I was unfamiliar with clarinetist Seunghee Lee. After listening to these discs and learning more about her, I thought our readership would enjoy hearing about her accomplishments, motivations and recorded output. Lee’s educational background includes studies at theRead More →

Christopher Nichols - American Images 6
22 February
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      Originally published in The Clarinet 44/2 (March 2017). Printed copies of The Clarinet are available for ICA members. by Chris Nichols The Verdehr Trio – The Making of a Medium – Volumes 21-23 After 43 years of performances as the Verdehr Trio, clarinetist Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr and violinist Walter Verdehr gave their final concerts as an ensemble in 2015. However, their endeavors are far from over. Thousands of performances around the world, many recording sessions and transcriptions of 18th– and 19th-century works have left a number of loose ends, according to Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr. Never inclined to rest on their laurels, the Verdehrs have been diligently atRead More →