Here With You features Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, and pianist Gloria Chien, a frequent performer with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, making their commercially released recording debut as a duo, playing German Romantic masterworks by Johannes Brahms and Carl Maria von Weber and a heartfelt new piece by Jessie Montgomery, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s newest Mead Composer-in-Residence...

Is there any sweeter sound than piano / clarinet duos? After listening to Here With You, the answer is obviously "No", for Anthony McGill and Gloria Chien deliver a wonderful collection of works that will reach into your body and touch your heart and soul.

The LP offers Brahms’ two 'Opus 120 Sonatas for Clarinet and Piano'; Weber’s 'Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48'; and the world-premiere recording of the clarinet and piano version of Montgomery’s timely, pandemic-born 'Peace'.

Montgomery's 'Peace' was new for me. Despite being a modern work, it fits in wonderfully and compliments the other recordings on the album.

The fluidity and attention to detail is spot on and it's obvious that the duo had as much fun playing these pieces as the listener will have listening to them.

A joyous celebration of not only classical pieces, but also of both the clarinet and piano as a lovingly celebrated duo.

Track listing:

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Sonata in F minor, Op. 120, No.1 (22:17)
01 - I. Allegro appassionato (7:51)
02 - II. Andante un poco adagio (5:04)
03 - III. Allegretto grazioso (4:02)
04 - IV. Vivace (5:06)

Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 120, No. 2 (21:55)
05 - I. Allegro amabile (8:49)
06 - II. Allegro appassionato (5:40)
07 - III. Andante con moto (7:18)

Jessie Montgomery (B. 1981)
08 - Peace (4:38)

Carl Maria Von Weber (1786–1826)
Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48 (18:02)
09 - I. Allegro con fuoco (6:24)
10 - II. Andante con moto (5:27)
11 - III. Rondo: allegro (6:07)

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Darren Rea