A committed clarinetist

Sunday’s Globe Matinee again proved the considerable depth of talent within our community as Ingrid Vlieg presented a programme of rarely heard masterpieces for her instrument – the clarinet.

This challenging programme included four of Mozart’s Church

Sonatas, short pieces written for liturgical use, but here arranged as a four-movement work in the classical style, arranged for clarinet and piano by Yona Ettlinger. These pieces were followed by Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra, Five Dances by the rarely heard Lutoslawaski and Four Characteristic Pieces by William Hurlstone.

Vlieg chose a varied programme full of interest for the listener, but with an obvious eye to demonstrating the capabilities of both her instrument and herself as a performer.

Therefore, the audience became immersed in the delights of Mozart, along with Weber’s popular Concertino, but then we explored the exciting rhythmic and tonal intricacies of Lutoslawaski and the glorious writing of Hurlstone, a composer who died too soon.

These works gave great momentum to the programme.

Although there may have been the occasional tuning difficulty, there is no doubt both performers had worked hard to reveal the great detail of these works.

Guy Donaldson’s performance of Schubert’s Piano Impromptu in

F minor added to the riches revealed throughout the afternoon.