Two works by James Rae, reviewed in Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine, June 2026
Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine
June 2026
CLARINET CONCERTO
James Rae
Clarinet and piano score
Clifton Edition
Many people know the educational music of James Rae and over the years I have seen many of his educational publications. He has a way of making melodies of just two notes that are interesting and engaging. He has the natural gift of melodic invention and of course his knowledge of the clarinet and saxophone are beyond belief.
However he has also written much music outside of the educational sphere. Having his Clarinet Concerto land in front of me was a very welcome gift. Here Rae has taken inspiration from Brahms; just as the original version of this concerto was for viola and orchestra commissioned by Geoff Wright, this version for clarinet and orchestra is dedicated to David Campbell.
The concerto is a traditional three-movement work, an opening Allegro con brio, a slow Lento Espressivo and a fast Allegro Moderato con fuoco as the closing movement. The writing for clarinet is engaging and exciting and covers the whole range of the instrument – this is a real showcase for the clarinettist. Fast passage work contrasts with slower melodic phrases which give the concerto a wide range of musical feel. This music is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but it’s melodic and, while founded firmly in music tradition, the extended harmonic shifts give it that modern twist that a work like this needs.
Only having the piano score, I can only guess what the orchestration is like. But I hear here a work of great beauty, a work which will fit comfortably in the English musical landscape. I only hope with the publication of this work from Clifton Edition that this work will gain some champions to make it a staple of the English Clarinet Concerto landscape. This is a work which should be joining the Gerald Finzi, Malcolm Arnold, Gordon Jacobs and Guy Woolfenden concertos in the repertoire.
The piano score and part are well presented by Clifton Edition; great music typesetting, well-thought-out page turns and at £14.95 for a work like this, a very reasonable price. Congratulations to James Rae on producing a fine work which people deserve to hear, and bravo to Mark Goddard for publishing it.
Adrian Connell
Clarinet and Saxophone Magazine
June 2026
ON THE DOUBLE! A BROADWAY STYLE OVERTURE FOR FOUR WOODWIND DOUBLERS
James Rae
Clifton Edition
Many of James Rae’s publications are set by the UK examination boards and most musicians would have played something written by Rae on their journeys through the grade exams. On the Double! does exactly what the subtitle says – A Broadway Style Overture – indeed, an overture worthy of opening any musical. Plus the line-up of four players doubling brings to mind images of the orchestral pit of musicians surrounded by a forest of instruments.
The four players between them have a total of ten instruments:
- Player 1: Alto Saxophone, Flute and Piccolo
- Player 2: Alto Saxophone, Flute and Clarinet
- Player 3: Tenor Saxophone and Bass Clarinet
- Player 4: Baritone Saxophone and Clarinet
This work, just under five minutes in duration, has four main sections: a fast opening, a swing section, a soft shoe section and a concluding faster section. As always with James Rae, the music is toe-tappingly good, melodic and full of invention.
But be warned, every player has something major to contribute during this short tour de force; there is no hiding for anyone and this is what makes Rae’s music so inspiring. You don’t get bored, and even a supporting role has a major contribution to make. This is fun music and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Commissioned by Paul Saunders, a multi-instrumental teacher at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, this will be a great piece for students to tackle. The score and parts are well presented by Clifton Edition and I take my hat off to Mark Goddard for this new enterprise. I do applaud people who take the plunge and publish music like this; sometimes this music just needs to be heard and available for people to enjoy.
And people will enjoy this piece; but it is possible that sales will be small due to the instrumental line-up. It may have been useful to have cued some sections so that the whole piece could be played by saxophone quartet – but then, the music would lose some of its colour. It’s a fantastic piece and credit is due to Mark Goddard for making this publication available.
Adrian Connell
