Immediately before he wrote his First Symphony, Beethoven wrote this Septet as a prototype or practice run. He was so ready for the nine symphonies that followed that this Septet became his most popular piece during his lifetime. You could almost call it his Tenth Symphony. Thrill to the full symphonic sound of this work and the Ireland Sextet that precedes it. J.J. Koh (clarinet), Judy Farmer (bassoon), and Fritz Foss (horn) join our string section led so expertly by David Perry. John Ireland’s colorful and dramatic Sextet for Clarinet, Horn, and Strings, probably inspired by the Beethoven, is a neglected masterpiece. It’s romantic English charm and colorful and dramatic scoring will make you happy you’ve discovered it.

Sextet (1898) • John Ireland
Clarinet, Horn, and String Quartet

Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20 • Ludwig van Beethoven
Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass