Winter

Winter is the debut release from Ficino Ensemble, a group of flexible size specialising in the rich repertoire of classical chamber music – a tradition of intimacy, introspection, poise and exchange to which they bring insight and excellence in performance. Here, they present three works spanning over 120 years – from Johannes Brahms’ august Clarinet Quintet of 1891; to Maurice Ravel’s virtuosic Introduction and Allergo (1905); to the title track, Winter, by Irish composer Garrett Sholdice, composed especially for this project in 2018. Composed only six years before his death, in some respects Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet looks back to the elegant designs of Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet.