This second album featuring music by the distinguished and eminent Welsh-born composer Rob Keeley amply explores his complex, distinctive style, from his Clarinet Quintet to three of his recent string quartets, interspersed with smaller-scale pieces for clarinets and saxes. Listeners will be captivated by the wide range of moods and colours to be found on this album.

Rob Keeley (b.1960) is a highly respected London-based composer and pianist who has not only contributed a significant amount to the clarinet and saxophone repertory, but also in recent years has written a substantial Clarinet Quintet for his long-time dedicatee Victoria Samek. This album also includes three string quartets (all written within the last five years) played by the Razumovsky Quartet. The classical titles and forms Rob prefers encourage the listener to conclude what the music might be about. Only in the very recent solo bass clarinet piece does he give any kind of extra-musical suggestions. Sandwiched between the larger pieces are a selection of clarinet/saxophone duets which act as ‘palate cleansers’ to the larger pieces, although these are strongly expressive, even intense in their moods.

The Razumovsky Quartet is joined by Victoria Samek, founder of Clarinet and Saxophone Classics. Her command across the single reed gamut extends to her audacious multi-tracking of Rob’s Duos for E flat clarinet, tenor and alto saxophones, along with her atmospheric rendering of ‘A hush on a winter’s evening… (riding out)’.

This album of world-premiere chamber works by one of Britain’s leading composers (recorded with the committed artistry of musicians in the presence of the composer) will leave the listener transfixed.