PORTAIT OF ALAN HACKER

Clarinet Classics is delighted to present a CD profile of one of the outstanding British clarinettists of the 20th century. A founder member of the Pierrot Players and the Fires of London, Alan Hacker's playing astonished and delighted a generation of concert-goers and acted as an inspiration for many young players. Maxwell Davies' Hymnos - a tour-de-force in a ground breaking performance by its dedicatee; Birtwistle's Four Interludes for a Tragedy; Maxwell Davies' Seven Brightnesses. Also included are Birtwistle's Three Nocturnes from a private recording issued for the first time on this CD. As well as music by members of the ' Manchester School' with which Alan Hacker is particularly associated, this fascinating collection also includes Crusell's Quartet No 2 in its first edition and Weber's virtuosic Grand Duo. Alan Hacker and was a pioneer of the clarinet in the 60s and 70s whose impact can still be felt today.