Emma's latest recording includes the Suite for Emma, written for her by Sir John Dankworth, together with other jazz-inflected works by Copland and Bernstein.

Dankworth - Suite for Emma
Dankworth - Picture of Jeannie
Copland - Clarinet Sonata
Copland - Nocturne
Bernstein - Clarinet Sonata

Emma Johnson (clarinet)
John Lenehan (piano)

"The whole programme is played with great polish and flair. It’s bound to delight Johnson’s many fans, and increase their number."
(***** BBC Music Magazine)

Track Listing

1. Sir John Dankworth (b. 1927): Suite for Emma
2. Leonard Bernstein (1918 1990): Clarinet Sonata
3. Aaron Copland (1900 1990): Sonata for Clarinet and Piano
4. Copland: Nocturne (Clarinet and Piano version)
5. Dankworth: Picture of Jeannie

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22996 in Music
• Released on: 2009-02-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds
• Running time: 61 minutes

Review
''Britain's favourite clarinettist.'' --The Times

Review
''Every generation has its artists that set the standard for that and successive generations. With Brits and the world today, it is Emma Johnson.'' --US Concert review

CD Description
Sir John Dankworth was inspired by Benny Goodman's playing to study clarinet at the Royal Academy: his delightful Suite for Emma was composed for Emma Johnson, former BBC Young Musician of the Year, who performs it on this disc. Jazz and popular music influences are to the fore in the young Leonard Bernstein's Clarinet Sonata, which oreshadows the music for his ever-popular West Side Story. Aaron Copland's arrangement for clarinet of his Violin Sonata is a major addition to the repertoire.

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Customer Reviews

An Excellent Showcase for Clarinet and Piano
Ever since winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition in 1984, Emma Johnson has scarcely been out of the limelight, and has managed to carve out a distinguished career as a soloist and chamber musician.

This collection of pieces for clarinet and piano (in which she is joined by the admirable John Lenehan), highlights works by jazz-inspired composers, thought that doesn't mean that these are in any way `crossover' (yeauch!) pieces.

John Dankworth is a man of many talents: not only a performer of note in both classical and jazz fields, but also a composer of delicacy and wit, and a consummate jazz arranger. His `Suite for Emma' is delightful music, with an appropriate jazz tinge, written with a clear understanding both of the performer and the instrument, whilst his wistful `Picture of Jeannie'- a delicate expansion of a Stephen Foster song- has almost a Vaughan Williams pastoral feel too it.

Bernstein's Clarinet Sonata is positively restrained, compared with his prelude Fugue and Riffs, but shows there's still room for the contemplative in his repertoire.

Completing the programme is Copland's own arrangement of his Violin Sonata No.1, which does not suffer in the slightest for its transference to the clarinet. In fact that sparse, yet lyrical timbre works well with this instrument (as similarly demonstrated in his Nocturne, yet another arrangement).

Emma Johnson has always emphasised the smooth and melodic side of the clarinet over the more raucous and extrovert side, and this repertoire works extremely well for her. John Lenehan is the `ne plus ultra' of accompanists, ensuring that the duo gels perfectly to produce a fine release.