DE CROES: THE RETURN OF THE CLARINETTO D’AMORE - Terra Nova Collective (2 CDs)

The revival of the Clarinetto d’Amore

The superb court library of the Thurn und Taxis family in Regensburg contains many musical treasures, including the music of the almost forgotten Belgian composer Henri Joseph de Croes. Given that he composed works for the clarinetto d’amore, an instrument that is also practically forgotten, he immediately becomes twice as interesting.

The clarinetto d’amore has today completely disappeared from the concert stage; two replicas of this unusual instrument were therefore made especially for this recording. All of the works by de Croes that are presented on this CD are world premiere recordings. De Croes, however, was no obscure composer who wrote only for this curious instrument; he was a respected musician with an intriguing body of work. In order to provide a balanced overview of his output, we are also presenting examples of his symphonies and concertos here alongside his chamber works.

Henri Joseph de Croes was born in Brussels in 1758 and died in Regensburg in 1842. He was born two years after his illustrious contemporary and colleague Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Like Mozart, de Croes had a talented musician for a father who had won his spurs as leader of a typical central European court orchestra during the middle years of the 18th century. This father was Henri-Jacques de Croes (1705-1786), who had already become concert master of the court orchestra in Brussels in 1744. Between 1749 and his death in 1786 he worked as Kapellmeister to the court of Prince Charles of Lotharingen, the brother of the emperor who had been appointed as viceroy over the Austrian Netherlands. Henri Joseph de Croes grew up in this environment and was quickly recognised as being a superb violinist.

1. Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major: I. Adagio – Allegro

2. Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major: II. Andantino

3. Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major: III. Menuetto Allegro

4. Symphony No. 1 in E-Flat Major: IV. Rondo Prestoive

5. Bassoon Concerto in C Major: I. Allegro

6. Bassoon Concerto in C Major: II. Andantino

7. Bassoon Concerto in C Major: III. Rondo Allegretto

8. Symphony No. 2 in D Major: I. Adagio – Allegro Molto

9. Symphony No. 2 in D Major: II. Andante con Variazione

10. Symphony No. 2 in D Major: III. Menuetto

11. Symphony No. 2 in D Major: IV. Allegro Molto

12. Concertante for Two Clarinetti d’Amore in G Major: I. Allegro

13. Concertante for Two Clarinetti d’Amore in G Major: II. Adagio Romance

14. Concertante for Two Clarinetti d’Amore in G Major: III. Rondo

CD 2

1. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 16-7: Allegretto

2. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-8: Andante

3. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 28-9: Allegro

4. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 16-13: Allemande Allegro

5. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-6: Andante

6. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-3: Allegretto

7. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 28-8: Adagio

8. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-6: Menuetto

9. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 32-5: Allegretto

10. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-6: Adagio

11. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-1: Allegro

12. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-5: Menuetto

13. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-4: Adagio

14. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-9: Allegro

15. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-1: Adagio-Allegro

16. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-4: Adagio

17. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-9: Allegro

18. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 32-4: Adagio

19. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 31-3: Allegro

20. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-3: Allegro

21. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-3: Allegro

22. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-11: Andante

23. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 16-12: Allegro

24. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 16-1: Andante-Allegro

25. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-2: Menuetto

26. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-8: Andante

27. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-4: Andante

28. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-10: Menuetto

29. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 28-8: Adagio

30. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-2: Andante

31. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-8: Allegro

32. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 32-9: Allegro

33. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-1: Allegro

34. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 8-9: Scherzo

35. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 29-12: Allegro

36. Partias for Two Clarinetti d’Amore: 30-11: Andantino