Crowded Streets

Paul Carr writes music that is without pretense, fluent and fluid, singing, concise and joyous. The Clarinet Concerto leads us through a limpidly flowing landscape part Finzi, part Nyman, part Coates. The Occasional Postcards are soloistic sketches catchy and reflective - listen to the slinky sax of Andrew Sutton in Summer Evening with it's half hints of Sibelius 2 and the bassoon invocation from Rite of Spring. Summer heat drapes heavily over the Concerto for two saxophones and time drawls easily by providing a center of gravity for the Latina rumba-bump, bounce and crunch of the vivace and vivo. Girl on a Beach under a Sunshade (a miniature for bassoon and orchestra) was inspired by a Sir Alfred Munnings sketch of Carr's great aunt, Gwenneth Jones-Parry on a Cornish beach in 1916. The Nocturne was recorded at night at the end of the first day's sessions. It provides a chill-out winding down and logically concludes the release.