What a short work this is, just over 8 minutes long, each of the six pieces are a little over 1 minute, except the last, you would think that such a short work would also be a slight work?, but wrong!, you don't have to compose on a grand symphonic scale to say something major, these short vignettes are timeless and universal, they say so much on such a small canvas, plus this music is full of pathos and longing, originally composed for Cello and Piano, i believe the Composer himself made this transcription for Clarinet, and it hits a deeper vein with a wind instrument perfectly [the oboe is also very good], i fell in love with this work on this disc instantly, the Bliss work is certainly harder to delve into.
Janet Hilton [scroll down the link for her biography] is English, she has mainly recorded British Clarinet works on the Chandos label, she recorded this disc in 1982, the front cover photograph [by Derek Forss], is a shot of Crummock Water in Cumbria from Kirkstile, a lovely view, a hand built stone wall, overlooks some cottages down onto the lake, the tree and the mountain nicely frame the photograph, and the lovely clouds in the sky, it all looks so peaceful, i'd love to go there.
All of these 6 pieces are heavenly, all on the slow / slowish side, except the last one, i very much enjoyed 2-3 & 5, the fifth piece is only 80 seconds long, but boy is it packed full to the brim, .
Here's The Six Studies In English Folksong being played by the Clarinet on YouTube, the fifth piece starts at 5:00.
