COPLAND FINZI
New Album
2027
Clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe, together with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Nicolò Umberto Foron, brings together the Clarinet Concertos of Aaron Copland and Gerald Finzi — two works written just a year apart in the aftermath of the Second World War. Copland’s Concerto, written for the legendary clarinettist and bandleader Benny Goodman, reflects the confidence and energy of post-war America, moving from a lyrical and spacious opening to a vibrant finale infused with jazz. Finzi’s Concerto, written for Frederick ‘Jack’ Thurston, takes a more introspective path, combining lyrical warmth with an underlying sense of melancholy before reaching a bright and optimistic conclusion. Together, the works offer two distinct responses to the same historical moment, each making full use of the clarinet’s expressive and virtuosic range.
Recorded at City Halls in Glasgow, this album brings together two works that have been important to Van Wauwe throughout her artistic life. Her approach was to stay close to the essence of both composers’ intentions, with detailed preparation and a strong sense of artistic honesty. Finzi asks for breath, line and nuance; Copland for clarity, character and rhythmic vitality. Working with Foron sharpened these differences, bringing fresh energy and drive to Copland and a mature, respectful intensity to Finzi. Van Wauwe’s longstanding relationship with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra made the collaboration a natural choice.
The recording marks the PENTATONE debut of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Nicolò Umberto Foron. Sound engineer Rita Hermeyer, herself a clarinettist, joined the project following their previous collaboration on Van Wauwe’s PENTATONE recording with the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover.
MOZART
FLOW
On her second PENTATONE album FLOW, Annelien Van Wauwe presents a programme inspired by her love for yoga, combining Mozart’s famous Clarinet Concerto with the world premiere recording of Wim Henderickx’s concerto SUTRA. Van Wauwe performs both works on the characteristic basset clarinet, together with the renowned NDR Radiophilharmonie under the baton of Andrew Manze.
Annelien Van Wauwe
NDR Radiophilharmonie
Andrew Manze
2022
Stream Purchase Trailer Film
BELLE EPOQUE
Journey through a golden age. Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe revives the golden glow of a bygone age on her PENTATONE debut album Belle époque, together with the Orchestre National de Lille and its music director Alexandre Bloch. The programme is built around treasures of French turn-of-the-century music such as Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie, Pierné’s Canzonetta and Widor’s Introduction et Rondo (the latter two in arrangements by Jelle Tassyns). Belle époque also offers works that display a spiritual kinship to the age, such as Brahms’s first clarinet sonata, arranged by Luciano Berio, and a world-premiere recording of Paris-based contemporary composer Manfred Trojahn (Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre).
Opus Klassik Award 2020 – best young artist of the year
Annelien Van Wauwe
Orchestre National de Lille
Alexandre Bloch
2019
Stream Purchase Trailer Award
WEINBERG PROKOFIEV
That Annelien Van Wauwe is rightly one of the most highly demanded young clarinetists is not only shown in her victory at the 2012 ARD Music Competition. On her debut GENUIN CD, recorded with the equally internationally award-winning pianist Lucas Blondeel, the Belgian demonstrates her great skill in a wonderfully united program. In addition to Prokofiev’s scintillating D major Sonata, Annelien Van Wauwe presents works with a Jewish background: both in Weinberg’s much too rarely played sonata as well as in Prokofiev’s Hebrew Overture her clarinet sings, she sobs and shouts, without ever losing her noble foundation.
Annelien Van Wauwe
Lucas Blondeel
2015
Stream Purchase
