The Gaudier Ensemble - Quintets for Clarinet & Strings (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581: I. Allegro
02. Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581: II. Larghetto
03. Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581: III. Menuetto - Trio 1 -Trio 2
04. Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581: IV. Allegretto con variazioni
05. Clarinet Quintet: I. Tempo moderato
06. Clarinet Quintet: II. Allegro con brio
07. Clarinet Quintet: III. Rhapsody: Poco lento
08. Clarinet Quintet: IV. Introduction, Theme and Variations
09. Clarinet Quintet Fragment in B-flat, K. 516c (Completed by Duncan Druce)

This recording brings together three closely related works for clarinet and strings, linking Classical elegance with 20th-century English lyricism. At it's heart is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Clarinet Quintet in A major, K.581, written for Anton Stadler and one of the defining masterpieces of the clarinet repertoire. From the poised opening Allegro to the intimate, aria-like Larghetto and the finely judged closing variations, Mozart places the clarinet at the centre of a richly expressive chamber dialogue. Gordon Jacob's Clarinet Quintet (1940), composed for Frederick Thurston, reflects a clear admiration for Mozart's clarity of form while speaking in a distinctly English voice. Concise, lyrical and expertly balanced, the work moves from an autumnal opening through urgency and rhapsodic reflection to a characterful set of variations. The program concludes with a rarity: the unfinished Allegro of a second Mozart clarinet quintet, completed by Duncan Druce, offering an intriguing glimpse of a work Mozart never completed. Performed by the Gaudier Ensemble with clarinettist Richard Hosford, this recording combines stylistic authority with warm, natural chamber sound, the clarinet's expressive range and it's evolution across two centuries.