Lauda col legno III

In 2004 I wrote Lauda col legno I as a gift to Roger Heaton on his 50th birthday. Roger and I have worked together for many years: he was a founding member of my ensemble and for me he is one of the supreme clarinettists of our time, and his bass clarinet playing is especially fine.In 2009 I wrote a second one, Lauda col legno II, but this time for two bass clarinets, or bass clarinet and double bass. I always intended to make a set of three, as I did with the Tre Laude Dolçe for solo cello but had never got round to it.

However, during the lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic, I decided to take the opportunity to rectify this omission and wrote the third one. At the same time I revised the second piece so that it is also for solo bass clarinet to make a whole set of three. Roger tells me that this is the hardest of the three…

As always, these are dedicated to Roger