ABSTRACT
John McCabe's exceptional gifts have brought him wide recognition in many diverse areas of musical life. The Three Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, first performed by Keith Puddy and Vivian Troon at the 1964 Cheltenham Festival, undoubtedly form his best-known work for the instrument to date, now firmly established as a major work in the clarinet repertoire. These three pieces are: Nocturne: Aria; Improvisation: Bossa Nova; and Fantasy. The opening phrase of the Three Pieces outlines a row containing only nine notes, and it is not until the end of the third phrase that the missing three notes have all been added. McCabe writes very quickly, preferring to work without the distraction of people around him and away from the piano. The Concerto for Piano and Wind Quintet was completed in 1969, commissioned by the Birmingham Chamber Music Society and first performed by the composer with the Venturi Ensemble in February 1970.
