This is an album of 1977 and 1979 recordings of works by Gerald Finzi

Gerald Finzi

Gerald Raphael Finzi was a British composer. Finzi is best known as a song-writer, but also wrote in other genres...

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The first three tracks on the album are the Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra Op. 31, which was recorded in 1977. Performed by John Denman, clarinet, with the New Philharmonia Orchestra

Philharmonia

The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...

 led by Bernard Partridge and conducted by Vernon Handley

Vernon Handley

Vernon George "Tod" Handley CBE was a British conductor, known in particular for his support of British composers. He was born of a Welsh father and an Irish mother into a musical family in Enfield, London. He acquired the nickname "Tod" because his feet were turned in at his birth, which his...

. The second three tracks are the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra Op. 40, recorded in 1979, and performed by Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...

, cello. Accompanying Ma are the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...

, led by Barry Griffiths and conducted by Vernon Handley.

Finzi: Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra Op. 31 (29:19)

First movement. Allegro vigoroso (8:53)

Second movement. Adagio ma senza rigore (11:52)

Third movement. Allegro giocoso (8:36)

Finzi: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra Op. 40

Cello Concerto (Finzi)

The Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 40, was composed by Gerald Finzi in 1955.The piece is in three movements:*I. Allegro moderato*II. Andante quieto*III...

(41:06)

First movement. Allegro moderato (16:52)

Second movement. Andante quieto (14:38)

Third movement. Adagio - Allegro giocoso (9:36)

The recordings derive from two Lyrita

Lyrita

Lyrita is a classical music record label, specializing in the works of British composers.Lyrita began releasing LPs in October 1959 as Lyrita Recorded Edition for sale by mail order subscription. The founder of the company, Richard Itter of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, was a businessman and record...

Recorded Edition LPs that were issued 1976-79. The Clarinet Concerto comes from SRCS 92 where it was alongside the two piano-and-orchestra works already used as fillers for SRCD 239. The Cello Concerto was issued by itself on the LP SRCS 112.

This edition was released on compact disc on November 30, 2006.