Maurice Clare - Maurice Clare Rediscovered (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Fantasia No. 1 in B-Flat Major, TW 40:14: I. Largo
02. Fantasia No. 1 in B-Flat Major, TW 40:14: II. Allegro
03. Fantasia No. 1 in B-Flat Major, TW 40:14: III. Grave - Si replica l'allegro
04. Fantasia No. 2 in G Major, TW 40:15: I. Largo
05. Fantasia No. 2 in G Major, TW 40:15: II. Allegro
06. Fantasia No. 2 in G Major, TW 40:15: III. Allegro
07. Fantasia No. 3 in F Minor, TW 40:16: I. Adagio
08. Fantasia No. 3 in F Minor, TW 40:16: II. Presto
09. Fantasia No. 3 in F Minor, TW 40:16: III. Grave - Vivace
10. Fantasia No. 4 in D Major, TW 40:17: I. Vivace
11. Fantasia No. 4 in D Major, TW 40:17: II. Grave
12. Fantasia No. 4 in D Major, TW 40:17: III. Allegro
13. Fantasia No. 5 in A Major, TW 40:18: I. Allegro - Presto - Allegro - Presto
14. Fantasia No. 5 in A Major, TW 40:18: II. Andante
15. Fantasia No. 5 in A Major, TW 40:18: III. Allegro
16. Fantasia No. 6 in E Minor, TW 40:19: I. Grave
17. Fantasia No. 6 in E Minor, TW 40:19: II. Presto
18. Fantasia No. 6 in E Minor, TW 40:19: III. Siciliana
19. Fantasia No. 6 in E Minor, TW 40:19: IV. Allegro
20. Fantasia No. 7 in E-Flat Major, TW 40:20: I. Dolce
21. Fantasia No. 7 in E-Flat Major, TW 40:20: II. Allegro
22. Fantasia No. 7 in E-Flat Major, TW 40:20: III. Largo
23. Fantasia No. 7 in E-Flat Major, TW 40:20: IV. Presto
24. Fantasia No. 8 in E Major, TW 40:21: I. Piacevolumente
25. Fantasia No. 8 in E Major, TW 40:21: II. Spirituoso
26. Fantasia No. 8 in E Major, TW 40:21: III. Allegro
27. Fantasia No. 9 in B Minor, TW 40:22: I. Siciliana
28. Fantasia No. 9 in B Minor, TW 40:22: II. Vivace
29. Fantasia No. 9 in B Minor, TW 40:22: III. Allegro
30. Fantasia No. 10 in D Major, TW 40:23: I. Presto
31. Fantasia No. 10 in D Major, TW 40:23: II. Largo
32. Fantasia No. 10 in D Major, TW 40:23: III. Allegro
33. Fantasia No. 11 in F Major, TW 40:24: I. Un poco vivace
34. Fantasia No. 11 in F Major, TW 40:24: II. Soave - Da capo un poco vivace
35. Fantasia No. 11 in F Major, TW 40:24: III. Allegro
36. Fantasia No. 12 in A Minor, TW 40:25: I. Moderato
37. Fantasia No. 12 in A Minor, TW 40:25: II. Vivace

The session notes for the 1974 recording show that Fantasias Nos. 1-5 were recorded on Monday 26 August, Fantasias 7-12 on Tuesday 27 August followed by a day without recording. Fantasia No.6 was recorded on Thursday 29 August 1974. In these early days it was Nimbus’ practice to assemble masters quickly after recording and given the founders fierce commitment to ‘unedited’ takes it is a reasonable bet that the master was assembled from the best whole takes of each movement.

Scribbled words on the last page of the session notes suggests future possibilities: Tartini 24 Sonatas, Boccherini Quartets and Quintets with a ‘very, very good pupil’ for 2nd violin and ‘Amo’ (Fleming) on cello. Alas it never happened. Apart from the Recording Agreement itself there is no general correspondence in the Nimbus archive to explain how Maurice Clare found himself at Nimbus’ Birmingham studio, nor why Telemann was the chosen repertoire.

It is intriguing that Maurice’s signature on the Agreement dated 24 April 1975 (interestingly eight months after the recording session) is witnessed by Ida G. Carroll – the celebrated principal of Manchester’s Northern School of Music. In 1973 she was a key player in the amalgamation of Manchester’s two music schools into the Royal Northern College of Music and served as its first Dean of Management until 1976. © Adrian Farmer