Clarinet and Orchestra

Advantages: Gorgeous music, played with much passion
Disadvantages: None really

...and this is evident here right from the start. There is some beautiful dialogue between solo cellist and orchestra in particular with the 1st clarinet - very well played by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Most of the time Carlos Kalmar keeps them on a tight leash, enabling clear and transparent textures, yet always allowing the soloist to sing through, but at one point where there is a fortissimo climax leading up to an ecstatic statement of the main theme - he lets the orchestra loose - and one can hear them revelling in the moment! Great climax which makes you wish you were playing! Listening to this easily accessible and instantly enjoyable piece, one wonders why on earth it is not more often played or heard. Perhaps it is because it has the most exquisitely subtle ending where the cello flies upwards into the heaven... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: great big band music
Disadvantages: none

...The Glenn Miller Orchestra UK was founded by Ray McVay in the 80's . This was done after talks with the Glenn Miller Estate, who had listened to many of Ray McVay's tracks. Who is Ray McVay? Ray McVay was born in the late 30's in Scotland. He became a professional musician at the tender age of 13 as a rocking sax player. In the 50's he became a music director for many big names such as Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Conway Twitty and Billy Fury. As Rays name got bigger and better known in the music industry, and fronted his own show band known as the Ray McVay Orchestra. He started to play for the Mecca Organization playing around the country before headlining at Mecca's big venue, the Lyceum Ballroom in London's west end.. Ray McVay then became a household name in the UK when he was featured on the TV... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: beautifully composed, orchestrated and performed
Disadvantages: not for the "sing-a-long" musician

...particularly "chill-out". Those who have heard Finzi's works before can understand but if not, its meancholic beauty summons stirring emotions. The clarinet concerto (hailed as one of the best written to date) opens the CD with its raw passion, the string orchestra showing its true force through powerful octaves, dischords and fugal entries as the stirrings of a melody occurs, a short dramatic passage climaxes in huge hammered quavers, before the delicate clarinet melody soothes the powerful orchestra. Other pieces on the disc include the Five Bagatelles, also for clarinet, nad a number of works for string orchestra, equally well written and performed. Whether a dedicated follower or not this is well worth a buy, I guarantee you will be after you've heard it!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful