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A live recording of the Scholfield-Clarke Duo, performing at St Pancras Clocktower (thanks to Peter Tompkins). Here we're playing the third movement of my favourite Bach Sonata, which was the opening piece of our 2026-27 recital programme. The whole programme had a thread running through of composers turning to emerging fashions of their day for inspiration, and here you can hear J.S. (or debatably CPE!) Bach transitioning from 'high Baroque' writing and embracing the newly fashionable 'Galant' aesthetic that was to dominate in decades to come. This piece is also perfect for us as a duo, as it presents such a wonderful opportunity for  musical 'conversation' between the two halves of the ensemble. If you'd like to hear other excerpts from the programme, head to my YouTube channel for Ravel, Messiaen and Schullhoff!

This beautiful carol was commissioned by the Nevis Ensemble for their recording project in December 2020 – a week of socially distanced music making in the midst of the coronavirus shutdown. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take part in this project, as it was the first time I’d played with other musicians in months – the feeling was incredible! The poignant Gaelic text of this carol was written by Marcas Mac an Tuairneir, and read in the recording by the poet himself. It explores the darker side of the festive season, speaking of the poverty and hunger felt by many at this time of celebration, but finishes with a shimmering and joyful final verse full of love and hope for the new year.

The name Guillermo Lago is in fact a pseudonym used by Dutch saxophonist Willem van Merwijk, who was a founding member of the renowned Aurelia Saxophone Quartet - it is therefore no surprise that this music feels incredibly intimate for the ensemble, with constant interaction and conversation between the individual players. This piece uses all of the colours and timbres available from the players to artfully depict the consequences of ignorance, love and violence, giving the saxophone the opportunity to soar as a solo voice as well as seep into the textures of the string quartet. I am grateful to the Resol String Quartet for this memorable and rewarding collaboration.

Completed in 2002, this duo explores the similarities between the saxophone and clarinet, seamlessly blending their sounds together and making use of their virtuosic capabilities to create unique textures. The first of the movements featured in this clip – Elegy – was written in the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks, and is a deeply emotional reflection on the tragedy of these events. The music beings and ends in a solemn silence, slowly and organically growing until it reaches an intense climax of sighing and wailing in the high registers of each instrument, before retreating again into softer and more reflective colours. 

This recital took place in the Great Hall at Barts Heritage on Wednesday 19th January 2022. The programme features innovative new revisions of classic French saxophone repertoire, exploring how this music has been updated by modern generations of saxophonists as the instrument and its players continue to evolve. Arrangements of Ravel’s enchanting Sonatine (0:30) and a charming Canzonetta by Gabriel Pierne (34:30) stand alongside original saxophone works - Debussy’s Rapsodie ‘Mauresque’ (42:15) and Fernande Decruck’s Sonata in C# minor (16:45). The concert concludes with Astor Piazzolla’s passionate and nostalgic musical tribute to his father – Adios Nonino (54’30). Many thanks to City Music Foundation and Barts Heritage, and to Musicarta Media for the recording.