Sky Rings

From Denmark to Germany, Northern Ireland to the Czech Republic, Korea to Manitoba and Alabama, this collection of half a dozen recent works for clarinet and electronics has roots around the world but is nonetheless unified through one important element: All of them were created for Esther Lamneck to play. Lamneck, who has long been at the center of adventurous uses of the clarinet – not to mention the Hungarian Tárogató too – brings her lifetime of expressive and technical skills to these challenging and rewarding works. The electronic music is employed in numerous ways, from fully integrated real-time interaction as in the Graugaard, Rataj and Wilson, to playing a more accompanimental role in the Matthews. This use of color is very evident in the Choi and the Rataj, while the Graugaard intensely focuses on interwoven nuances. Durant’s Faji, and the opening of the Wilson bring in a fun jazzy element to the album. Durant’s work offers an enticing relaxed dialogue between the clarinet and the electronic score. The Wilson includes sections of interactive improvisation and slow movements which explore the subtleties of the clarinet’s high register and delicate multiphonics which trigger exquisite harmonics. The New York Times calls Esther Lamneck “an astonishing virtuoso” and her illustrious artistic life has included appearing as soloist with major orchestras, and conductors such as Pierre Boulez. Sky Rings coincides with her retirement from the NYU Steinhardt School after a long and distinguished teaching career.