We were inspired to gather together this collection of chamber works for reasons beyond the obvious prestige of the individual composers and the importance of their works. We wanted to present the listener with a satisfying musical journey, as much through the formal variety as the expressive content of the pieces. The contrasts are to be found among different movements of the same piece, as well as among the five works on the recording.

Rather than offering a historical overview of the programme, we would prefer to look briefly at our choice of title, Deep Light, and its various meanings. On the one hand, it aims to evoke the luminosity that lies in the depth of feeling, represented here by two major works of the German Romantic clarinet repertoire, the Grand Duo Concertant by Carl Maria von Weber, and Robert Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces. Emotionally profound in their darker, slower movements, these works also display an exalted brightness in their exuberant finales. On the other hand, however, the deep and the light are simply synonyms for the serious and the playful. Seen in this way, the two German works provide the weight on the CD, while the three others fall more into the second category.

It is our hope that the contrast in styles, and the unusual juxtaposition of repertoire, will stimulate those familiar with these works into fresh ways of listening, and provide those new to them with the delight of discovery.

Text by Cristo Barrios and Andrew West

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Artists

Cristo Barrios, clarinet
Andrew West, piano

Reviews

“The interaction between the two musicians is perfect. It is an essential disc for any music lover. ”(MELÓMANO). NOTE: this album was distinguished with the “Melómano GOLD”

“Barrios plays with a pure tone and lots of technique.” (FANFARE MAGAZINE)

“What an exciting listen this is. Superb programming of clarinet works by primarily Engligh and German composers, with intimate sound and fobulously controlled playing.” (BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE)

“Right out of the box this sounds like classic Living Stereo and Masterworks recordings both in heart and in soul.” (MIDWEST)

“This outstanding CD from IBS Classical [...] The virtuosity of the present soloists is obvious from the first to the last bar. Both survive the tremendous complexities of this piece with assurance [...] The duo plays them with great skill and a tender enthusiasm.” (MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL)

“The gift of sensitivity and refinement must be possessed, as the case may be, to arrive at such a result of subtlety and refinement.” (RITMO)

“Barrios and West certainly more than convince in these gentle, evocative yet highly expressive performances. In particular, Barrios makes the emotions implicit in the music come over well without overdoing things”. (PLANET HUGILL)

“Barrios is surprisingly good: [a performance] very cleverly colored and gifted with the right intuition for every mood. He understands the different components that make up each character, with which he achieves an extremely pleasing result.” (DE KLARINET)

List of pieces

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)
Gran duo concertant op. 48op. 48
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
Five Bagatelles
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Six Studies on English Folksongs
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Fantasy PiecesOp. 73
Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
Theme and Variations