ConcertPulse
Chamber Concert
What does fantasy sound like? In Robin Milford’s 1933 composition based on English folklore, when the solo clarinet glides over a delicate wave of strings – it sounds dance-like, lyrical, expressive, full of humor, and rich in contrasts. In the similarly titled composition by the English late Romantic composer York Bowen, the distinctive bass clarinet, which is rarely featured in chamber music concerts, blends irresistibly into the string sound with its sonorous velvety tone. It is captivating and seamlessly flowing. Finally, Bruckner’s only large-scale chamber music work provides a mystical dimension to this concert: like his great symphonies, the String Quintet in F major is imbued with the mysticism of nature and of the Catholic faith.