Henri Tomasi: Three Divertissements, for Four Clarinets

French composer and conductor, Henri Tomasi (1901-1971) published Three Divertissements for Clarinet Quartet in 1964. As with his other wind compositions, Three Divertissements was well-received by audiences. Tomasi was born in Marseille, but his Father and Mother were originally from La Casinca in Corsica. Despite being pressured into musical studies by his parents, Tomasi dreamed of becoming a sailor, and during the summer, he stayed with his Grandmother in Corsica where he learnt traditional Corsican songs. However, in 1921, he began his studies at the Paris Conservatoire and went on to become a high profile composer and conductor. Tomasi did not forget his Corsican routes, often incorporating themes of the songs he had learnt during the summers with his Grandmother into his compositions. The Three Divertissements are named; 1) Proceedings, 2) Masquerade, and 3) Rounds. This Tomasi piece is suitable to an advanced Clarinet Quartet, providing an exciting alternative addition to the ensemble repertoire.