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Liquid Crystal

Luke Carbon (clarinet) and Alex Raineri (piano) present a varied collection of music by composers Brahms, Berg, Beach, Bernstein and Gyger.

Liquid Crystal was two years in the making following concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in 2019.

From the soaring melodies of Brahms' F minor Sonata to the cyclonically virtuosic modernity of Elliott Gyger, this album is one of arresting extremes. Also featured is an early work of Leonard Bernstein that captures both the melodic beauty and rhythmic vitality of Bernstein's signature style, an arrangement of Amy Beach's gorgeous 'Romance' (originally for violin) and Alban Berg's extraordinary Four Pieces wherein the listener is taken on a brief yet kaleidoscopic journey through expressionistic sentiment.

Luke Carbon and Alex Raineri are two of Australia's most in-demand and versatile freelance artists. This album is a "mixtape" of their favourite works for the clarinet and piano duo combination.

Artists

Luke Carbon

Luke Carbon is a woodwind multi-instrumentalist and educator based in Melbourne. An orchestral musician, chamber player, and fluent improviser, he attended the Australian National Academy of Music during 2015-2016 and was awarded a Master of Music Research, the Musica Viva Chamber Music Prize, and a programming award for his exploration of third stream music.

Alex Raineri

Alex Raineri is an active recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician. Alex is the Artistic Director of the Brisbane Music Festival and is a passionate exponent of contemporary music, having given over 130 World Premieres to date.


Press quote

“Liquid Crystal for clarinet and piano by Australian composer Elliott Gyger. The work, of about 11 minutes duration, begins with a soft, energising perpetuum mobile which creates an expectation of excitement. Liquid runs and swirls are wonderfully evocative. It is exhilarating, compelling and wonderfully satisfying to listen to. Luke Carbon and Alex Raineri give a powerful rendition of this major composition. Brahms’s two sonatas for clarinet and piano are arguably some of the most glorious music ever written for that instrumental combination. Many recordings have been made over the years and this one by Carbon and Raineri of the Sonata Op. 120 No.1 compares exceedingly well. Carbon’s interpretation brings out all the nuances, with beautifully regulated tone, lovely phrasing and gorgeous pianissimos matched by Raineri’s excellent musicianship and pianistic prowess. Multi-instrumentalist Luke Carbon and virtuoso pianist Alex Raineri are both on upward career trajectories; their impressive career achievements are outlined in the liner notes.”

Read full review

— Gwen Bennett, Music Trust Loud Mouth e-zine

Track Listing

    Sonata in F Minor, Op. 120: No. 1 Johannes Brahms

  1. I. Allegro appassionato
  2. II. Andante un poco adagio
  3. III. Allegro grazioso
  4. IV. Vivace

    5. Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5 Alban Berg

  5. I. Mässig
  6. II. Sehr langsam
  7. III. Sehr rasch
  8. IV. Langsam
  9. Romance for Violin and Piano, Op. 23 [Arr. for Clarinet and Piano] Amy Beach Arr: Luke Carbon

    10. Sonata for Clarinet & Piano Leonard Bernstein

  10. I. Grazioso
  11. II. Andantino – Vivace e leggier
  12. Liquid Crystal Elliott Gyger

Performers

Composers

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. In his lifetime, Brahms' popularity and influence were considerable; he is sometimes grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the Three Bs.

Alban Berg

Amy Beach

Leonard Bernstein

Larger-than-life Lenny - a phenomenally gifted composer, conductor, teacher, performer; an unflaggingly enthusiastic, brash, enormously complex musician; a man dedicated to breaking down personal, political and musical barriers between people.

Elliott Gyger

Elliott Gyger was born in Sydney, and has been writing music since about the age of ten. His compositional and research interests include the creation of a purely musical sense of drama and narrative, and the multilayered interplay of music and text.


Where to buy

Liquid Crystal is available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It's available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music.

Liquid Crystal is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Release date
December 2021
Copyright
© 2021 Luke Carbon and Alex Raineri
Phonogram
℗ 2021 Move Records
Category
Classical
Catalogue number
MCD 615
Alternate catalogue number
MCD615
Barcode
EAN 9314574061529