CCMusic.com

The Krein family, with it's origins in Lithuania, became a musical dynasty of considerable importance in Imperial and then Soviet Russia. The seven sons of it's patriarch, Abram Krein, were all musicians, with Alexander and Grigory becoming respected composers, and Grigori's son, Yulian, adding another generation of Krein compositions. The dances and cantillation of their Jewish background was an important part of their musical make-up, combining at various stages with Russian folk-music, Skryabinesque harmony and French Impressionism. All three shared a predilection for the clarinet, developing a repertoire for the instrument that is only now beginning to be discovered - in what one might call a Krein scene investigation.