Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra a.o.

- 1992 is officially Rossini Year, since was born 200 years ago. This CD is one of the major contributions to this celebration with two rather unknown master pieces centrepoint: the Clarinet Variations and the Variations for several instruments (1st and 2nd violin, viola, cello and clarinet) and Orchestra, to which were added a rousing performance of the Grande Fanfare for four Horns and Orchestra equally rousing performances of the Overtures to La Cenerentola and Semiramide and the Temporali (Thunderstom-Music) from La Cenerentola and Il Barbiere di Siviglia which are hardly ever recorded outside complete performances. 

- The Per Musica Orchestra was discontinued in 1986, shortly after their last and very succesful tour of Italy - a great many of its key members went on to accept major posts with international orchestras and there was no financial foundation for its existence on a regular basis. These recordings were made during sessions in Italy preceding their last your but never before released. In view of the outstanding quality of the performances, the inspired conducting, the wonderful playing of the soloists (all members of the orchestra), the highly interesting program and the fine recording quality, we decided to issue them on CD at this time, also at the occasion of the Rossini Year. 

- The only other recording made by Per Musica with Julian Reynolds as the conductor with Ravel's Ma Mere L'Oye and the rare instrumentations by Ravel of other composer's pieces (released by Etcetera) has been hailed by the BBC as the best recording of Ma Mere L'Oye. 

- Although the recording is fully digital and has never been released before, we have nonetheless decided to issue it in our 6000-series in order to get the widest possible interest for it. 

 

The European Chamber Orchestra PER MUSICA was founded in 1983 and consisted of then current and former members of the European Youth Orchestra who wanted to continue to play together and to regurlary give concert. The orchestra made its debut in London in 1983 and performed in various festivals and tours in France, Holland, the UK, Italy and Germany. They also worked with such well-known musicians as Frans Brüggen, Radu Lupu, Matislav Rostropovich, Heinz Holliger, Luciano Pavarotti and Jene Anderson. Most of the members of this group of brilliant young musicians are winners of major prizes in nationale and international competitions 

Julian Reynolds is of Russian, German and English descent and was born in London in 1962. He received diplomas from the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music whilst still at school, and went on to take an honours degree in History, Musicology and Analysis at King's College London University. He gave his highly accalimed solo debut recital in the Wigmore Hall in London at the age of 19 and was a finalist in the 1984 Busoni Competition in Bolzano. From the age of 18, Julian Reynold became the pianist for the European Community Youth Orchestra for five consecutive seasons, where he graduated to assisting the conductors of the orchesra in particular Claudio Abbado. It was with the ECYO and ensembles from that orchestra that he made his first performance as a conductor. He was a co-founder of the European Chamber Orchestra Per Musica and with this orchestra he toured Europe extensively, appearing in major festivals in Italy (Pesaro, Bolzano), Switzerland, the Netherlands and England. In 1986, Julian Reynolds became assistent to the Music Director of the Netherlands Opera in Amsterdam, and he has since then combined his duties in the Amsterdam Music Theatre with many guest appearances with orchestras and opera companies in and outside the Netherlands. After conducting Verdi's La Traviata with the Kirov Opera in St. Petersburg in early 1991, he has been made a permanent guest conductor of the company, where he will specialise in Italian and Russian repertoire.