Biography
Jirí Gemrot was born in 1957 in Prague (Czech Republic). He belongs to this lineage of composers whose most illustrious exponents include Janacek and Martinu. He also draws from musical tradition, which he expands upon according to his own inspiration. His repertoire includes several works for orchestra, miscellaneous concertos and many chamber music pieces : a quintet for piano and strings (2001), a string quartet (2005), 2 trios with piano, a quintet for clarinet and strings (2006), etc.
"Flatteries" is a Franglais play on words suggested by its dedicatee to honour the E-flat clarinet and the very flattering style the composer displays here : the 4 movements are structured from an initial cadenza which is heard in reverse in the final episode. The constantly present sonata form follows the ABA pattern with mirror processes : for example the themes from movements 1 and 4 are echoed in movements 2 and 3. The E-flat clarinet finds a wonderful space for expression thanks to the clarity and warmth of the writing; the string quartet makes full use of every musical idea, often creating an homorhythmic process intended to highlight the soloist, which is definitely very flattered in this work!
