Rory Boyle: Music for clarinet Fraser Langton, James Willshire & TRIO DRAMATIS

• Rory Boyle (B. 1951): Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano:
• 1Boyle: Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano: I. Fast02:48
• 2Boyle: Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano: II. Slow with Tenderness03:36
• 3Boyle: Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano: III. Brightly02:12
• Burble:
• 4Boyle: Burble07:11
• Four Bagatelles:
• 5Boyle: Four Bagatelles: No.103:26
• 6Boyle: Four Bagatelles: No.203:18
• 7Boyle: Four Bagatelles: No.303:10
• 8Boyle: Four Bagatelles: No.401:30
• Tatty's Dance (Version for clarinet and piano):
• 9Boyle: Tatty's Dance (Version for clarinet and piano)02:23
• Dramatis Personae:
• 10Boyle: Dramatis Personae: 1. Rogue03:12
• 11Boyle: Dramatis Personae: 2. Shadow04:53
• 12Boyle: Dramatis Personae: 3. Fool04:09
• Di Tre Re e io:
• 13Boyle: Di Tre Re e io18:10
• Total Runtime59:58

Info for Rory Boyle: Music for clarinet

Building on the legacy of Rory Boyle’s own youthful studies as a clarinettist and pianist, the works on this new portrait disc span a near forty year compositional period, from the Sonatina – written as a gift to Boyle’s teacher Lennox Berkeley – to Dramatis Personae and Burble, written for the present performers. Fraser Langton’s communicative flair in this music – with its striking rhythmic energy and refreshing absence of sentimentality – is infectious, while pianist James Willshire already has an acclaimed solo album of Boyle’s piano music to his credit (released on Delphian in 2011, Boyle’s sixtieth-birthday year). Together, and joined by Rosalind Ventris on viola in the concluding trio, they bring to life the composer’s inventiveness, humour, and unfailing sense of melodic line.

Clarinettist Fraser Langton is active as a soloist and chamber musician, having recently given recitals at London’s St John’s Smith Square and the Wigmore Hall. He performs regularly with the pianist James Willshire, whose performances of contemporary piano repertoire have been lauded for their ‘evangelizing urgency’ (International Record Review) and ‘freshness and lucidity’ (The Herald).

"Music of high organisation, clarity and expressive power here from Rory Boyle…Langton’s technique is sure, his musicianship all-encompassing and his head balanced with his heart." (Gramophone Magazine)

Fraser Langton, clarinet
James Willshire, piano

Fraser Langton
studied clarinet at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he won most of the RCS major prizes. While still a student he appeared as soloist in the Françaix concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Fraser has freelanced with all of Scotland’s professional orchestras and has recently been appointed to a permanent position with the BBC Philharmonic. He has played as guest principal clarinet with the City of Birmingham Symphony and Royal Scottish National Orchestras.

In demand as a solo recitalist and chamber musician, Fraser has enjoyed successful London débuts at the Wigmore hall and St John’s Square. He has a keen interest in contemporary music, has commissioned and premiered a number of new works and recently recorded his debut album of Rory Boyle’s music for clarinet.

James Willshire
Heralded for performances of “spectacular musicianship and technical brilliance” (The Scotsman), “evangelizing urgency” (International Record Review) and “freshness and lucidity” (The Herald), James Willshire performs internationally as soloist and chamber musician. He appears regularly at the major UK concert halls, including the Bridgewater Hall, Barbican, Glasgow City Halls, and Royal Festival Hall, and has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. James’s recordings of contemporary British piano music have been reviewed extensively, receiving universal acclaim.

Festival appearances include performances given by James at the 2015 The Piano Festival at Glasgow Royal Concert Halls, the Lichfield, Cheltenham and Winchester Festivals, the Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Cantilena Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, the Roman River Festival, ‘Il Festival di Londra’, the Victoria International Arts Festival and the Paxos International Festival.

A regular performer of contemporary music, James has given world premiere performances of works by Ronald Stevenson, John McLeod and Rory Boyle. James’s debut recording on Delphian Records featured the complete piano music by Boyle; it was released in 2011 to critical acclaim, including a five-star review from The Scotsman. In October 2013 his recording of piano music by Ronald Stevenson was released. The CD was reviewed by BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, received a five-star review in Classical Music magazine, and was awarded an IRR Outstanding by International Record Review. Other press interest for the recording included articles in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Scotsman, Sinfini Music, The Arts Desk and MusicWeb International. His recording of piano music by David Jennings was chosen as one of MusicWeb International’s Recordings of the Year 2013.

Future projects include performances at the Bridgewater Hall, with the Willshire Duo, a visit to St. Andrew’s University, and recording the music for clarinet and piano, and clarinet trio, by Rory Boyle with Trio Dramatis.

James maintains a strong interest in music education and teaches the piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and St Mary’s Music School.

Booklet for Rory Boyle: Music for clarinet