Central Park Variations for Clarinet and Piano Lalo Schifrin. Scherzo Music/Keiser Classical, 1984, SS, 13 + 5 pages. The composer wrote: "David Shifrin asked me to write a 'jazz piece' for clarinet and piano and I was seduced by the thought of trying to notate as exactly as possible a group of quasi-improvisational figures in the idiom of Afro-American music. Central Park Variations is almost two pieces in one since everything is in the ear of the beholder. On one hand the structure is based on a traditional twelve-bar blues. But it could also very well be a chaconne in D minor. Anyway, this experience has only confirmed my suspicion that jazz is a very rigorous discipline which allows certain freedom within fixed parameters, while the so-called 'serious' music can be fun (and games)." This is a challenging piece with a tempo of Andantino Moderato (mm=ca 108) until close to the end. (C0819)