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Geoffrey Allen was born in the UK in 1927 and after studying at Oxford moved to Australia where he set up a music publishing imprint and facilitated recordings of Australian music. He is still very active and is busy with several projects and compositions. His chamber music is widely neo-Romantic and rhapsodic, repeating motifs in different ways, constantly evading fixed tonality but retaining a soft and mellifluous melodic flow. Thus: his music is distinctive and strongly constructed but very attractive – post-modernist in the best sense. This collection of woodwind works begins with the 1964 Bassoon Sonata – more edgy, redolent of Prokofiev or Hindemith – through to the 2007 Fantasy Trio, polytonal, rhapsodic with beautiful textures. All works are receiving their first commercial recording.
The four musicians are among Australian’s finest – among many other activities, Waye and Meyer are principals with the West Australian Symphony; Walpole is an internationally-known freelance and Wickham is acknowledged to be among Australia’s most pre-eminent accompanists.
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Geoffrey Allen (b.1927):
- Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – I. Allegro ma non troppo (5:26)
- Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – II. Lento-Allegro scherzando-Andante all marcia-Tempo I (6:12)
- Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – III. Allegro con spirito (3:17)
- Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – I. Aubade (6:43)
- Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – II. Desert Noon (6:10)
- Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – III. Bush Sundown (5:56)
- Pastorale, for bassoon and piano, Op. 34 No. 1 (2:23)
- Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – I. Moderato ma con affretato (3:12)
- Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – II. Adagietto (2:50)
- Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – III. Allegro – Appena moderato (4:05)
- Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – I. Poco andante (5:55)
- Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – II. Allegro giocoso – Andante (3:06)
- Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – III. Andante di sogno (5:51)
- Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – IV. Allegro moderato-Alla marcia-Tempo I-Poco andante (6:03)
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01
Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – I. Allegro ma non troppo (5:26)
02
Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – II. Lento-Allegro scherzando-Andante all marcia-Tempo I (6:12)
03
Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 9 – III. Allegro con spirito (3:17)
04
Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – I. Aubade (6:43)
05
Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – II. Desert Noon (6:10)
06
Outback Sketches, for clarinet and piano, Op. 58 – III. Bush Sundown (5:56)
07
Pastorale, for bassoon and piano, Op. 34 No. 1 (2:23)
08
Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – I. Moderato ma con affretato (3:12)
09
Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – II. Adagietto (2:50)
10
Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 34 No. 2 – III. Allegro – Appena moderato (4:05)
11
Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – I. Poco andante (5:55)
12
Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – II. Allegro giocoso – Andante (3:06)
13
Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – III. Andante di sogno (5:51)
14
Fantasy Trio, for flute, clarinet and piano, Op. 70 – IV. Allegro moderato-Alla marcia-Tempo I-Poco andante (6:03)
