OZ ARTS REVIEW:
For those many concertgoers who heard Peter Clinch at his peak, this compilation will be a welcome reminder of his artistry - and it will enable a new generation of listeners to make the acquaintance of a first rate musician.

William Lovelock, whose years as founding director of the Queensland Conservatorium are remembered for his unwaveringly conservative approach to music and a gift for looking backwards in both harmonic and stylistic terms, may not have won him many allies. But his not inconsiderable output has provided saxophonists - as well as tuba players - with a small repertoire of works that have immediacy and tunefulness in abundance.

Clinch is at his beguiling best in Lovelock's Sonata for saxophone and piano, the opening adagio coming across like a gently unfolding, intensely felt, song. And the central movement is a wild ride that seizes the attention. Trevor Barnard is the perfect piano partner although recorded sound is rather tinny.

There's more Lovelock in the form of his Three Sketches with Nehama Patkin at the piano. The Prelude is a lavish obeisance to Schumann, the Valsette a charming, salon-type vignette and the Scherzo a fine vehicle for Clinch to demonstrate his extraordinary control of the instrument; this is splendidly lively playing with some beautifully gauged rubati. Throughout the work, Clinch's consistently fine tone flies in the face of Wagner's sour dismissal of the instrument which, he once said, 'sounds like the word Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge'!

In Introspections for Saxophone and Prepared Tape - a joint effort by Geoffrey D'Ombrain and Clinch - twitterings and electronically generated otherworldly glissandi call to mind background music for movies about intergalactic strife. Listen to Clinch's flawlessly phrased line to a pre-recorded tape. Here, as in everything he played, Clinch brings the Midas touch, turning even this rather dated offering to musical gold.

There's more sax magic from Clinch in Eric Gross' Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet. The central lento movement is pure delight, the saxophone line a stream of pure, unforced sound that blends exquisitely with the corporate tone of the Petra String Quartet.

This compact disc is a compendium of saxophone marvels and a remarkable testament to the artistry of one of the instrument's most persuasive interpreters.
Neville Cohn

MUSICWEB:
Dr Peter Clinch (1930-1995) was born in Geraldton, Western Australia and was in the clarinet section of the Perth Symphony Orchestra in 1947. He played clarinet and saxophone with every ABC Symphony Orchestra in Australia either as a member of the orchestra or as a soloist. He was widely active as conductor and in jazz performances. Few areas of musical activity in Australia and beyond were left untouched by him. He also composed and his original compositions include Instruments of the Orchestra, Introduction and Fugue for 4 Percussion, Music for a Grand Tour, Variations for Clarinet and Electric Tape, Saxophony for Voice, Flute, Clarinet and Percussion, Inventions for 7 Players, Clarion Call for Small Ensemble, Music for Clarinet and Small Ensemble, and Quartet for Clarinet, Viola, Piano and Percussion.

This collection ranges far and wide among Australian composers and Brits with Australian connections. Speaking of which William Lovelock was born in London but moved to Australian  in the 1950s  and then back in the 1970s. Lovelock’s single movement concerto is full of flighty and heart-warming romance with plenty of rhythmic vitality among the shimmering and sultry saxophone songs. It recalls the Glazunov concerto with dashes of Poulenc and English pastoralism. It’s a delightful work. Switching to the clarinet Clinch is joined by Nehama Patkin for the Three Sketches. These are artless and innocent fun pieces typical of light music although darker shadows pass across the final Scherzo. Trevor Barnard joins Clinch for the Saxophone Sonata – all dreamy Gallic romantic aspiration and none of the instrument’s potential for sleaze. There’s a ruthlessly active central molto vivo followed by more gentle oneiromantic rhapsodising – almost Rachmaninov - with the occasional lively perky and skipping episode. Boxily recorded the piece is still modestly impressive and unfailingly tuneful.

Eric Gross was born in Vienna, in 1938 emigrated to London and then settled in Sydney in 1958 although he has always been active internationally. His Quintet is a work with distinct expressionist leanings and quite a contrast with the inoffensive Sketches.  This is a deeply serious piece and its writing recalls the sometimes caustic string writing of Van Dieren in the string quartets and the shimmering ambivalence of the instrumental web in Warlock’s The Curlew. Further out still we encounter the electronic buzzing and warble of Introspections – it’s brief.

James Penberthy was born in Melbourne. He studied composition with Boulanger in Paris and conducting with Barbirolli. The very compact Saxophone Concerto is gritty and occasionally very dissonant, explosive and even disorientating. The saxophone is called on to rhapsodise and chatter, slide and sidle through haunted Bergian landscapes which erupt in Penderecki-style eruptions. As with the rest of the programme the acrobatics are superbly handled by Clinch.

The notes are fulsome and reflect considerable work by Stephen Sutton.

Given that many of these tracks have been recovered from LPs the sound is staggeringly clear and free from aural detritus. All credit to the artistry and technical skill – important that there is good judgement in balance between the two – of Andrew Rose and Les Craythorn. 

I rather hope that the Diversions label of Divine Art will do more of these Australian collections although sadly this has all the signs of a one-off. Nevertheless two disc collections of Australian symphonies, violin concertos, piano concertos and overtures would be very welcome. 

In retrospect one can see a progressive trajectory described by the music on this disc: from the accessible conservative Lovelock through the increasing linguistic challenge of Gross and onwards to the extremes of Penberthy and then D’Ombrain. 
Rob Barnett