Instrument: solo part with piano reduction
Grade: difficult
Catalogue No: 4302
ISMN No: 9790570660490
For L/Cpl Natalie White and the Band of the Welsh Guards.
Movt 1 Conflict
Movt 2 The Fallen
Movt 3 Resolution
With special mention of two officers of the regiment - Robert Cobbald and JD Gibson-Watt
With thanks to Michael Christie for his creative input.
To view a video of the performance on youtube
click here"The three movements are 'conflict', 'The Fallen' and 'Resolution', themes that are freely interpreted musically. In 'Conflict', the solo clarinet begins with an ascending figure based on octave leaps, while the accompaniment contrasts with marcato quavers and harsh dissonances. The melody features seventh intervals, and while the movement is marked 3/4 the accompaniment is often 6/8. This is more evident in the second theme where the clarinet line moves much more by step. The development takes these ideas and the cadenza comes from yet more conflict between the now calm clarinet and dissonant clashes in the accompaniment.
'The Fallen' is the slow movement and poignantly features notes from 'The Last Post' in the opening and a beautiful working of 'David of the White Rock' later on. The final movement 'Resolution' is a Rondo in 6/8, brighter but with hints of the initial conflict through the sevenths in the meno mosso sections which interrupt the flow. Another long cadenza takes short ideas from the piece before the work comes to a triumphant end with all four E notes across the whole range, echoing the beginning.
Wilson set out to write a concerto for a versatile instrument and has found ways to exploit its capabilities while keeping tonal centre. There are frequent altissimo notes within all three movements. Wilson does use the very low notes, most notably in the cadenzas, but much of the work is high, presumably to allow the clarinet to carry over the wind band accompaniment. A good command of all notes right up to A sharp an octave above the stave is needed, plus technique to travel to and from altissimo notes (legato). The piece is around 25 minutes long. Printing is clear and the piano accompaniment comes as a spiral bound volume."
Reviewed Stephanie Reeve, 'Clarinet & Saxophone'
