Various Artists - World's Globe: Celebration Skakespeare / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A legendary clarinetist equally experienced in classical music, jazz and film music, Michel Portal meets Paul Meyer, another outstanding ambassador of the clarinet in the world and a long-time friend. Side by side and accompanied by the Orchestre de Chambre de Wallonie, they offer a programme that reveals their musical rapport for the first time on album, whether the repertory is Baroque, gallant, or Romantic. So, alongside Telemann's Concerto in D minor for two chalumeaux and strings, we have Carl Stamitz's Concerto no. 4 for two clarinets, while Mendelssohn's Konzertstucke nos. 1 & 2 are juxtaposed with duos by Telemann and CPE Bach. Each work constitutes a calm dialogue in which words are replaced by notes, a touching testimony to two exceptional careers.

Various Artists - Songs for William Shakespeare / Various [COMPACT DISCS] date 01/01/2009

As William Boughton celebrates his 70th birthday, we have put together this selection from his recordings for Nimbus and Lyrita. 'Every recording contains a story but, sadly, there is not the space to tell them all here so I've selected certain memorable, hopefully correct(!), experiences. Revisiting my early recordings reminded me of the joys and struggles that we encountered whilst developing the English String Orchestra (ESO), the development of our sound, our thinking and musicianship. Every recording is testament to a moment in time, to our responses and emotions during it's preparation and in the brief moment when the performance is created. Having been given this opportunity for a celebratory box-set I hope to avoid being too self conscious and remain objective in my comments and in the music I have chosen.' [William Boughton]