To mark ten years of lunchtime recitals in the International Series at Plymouth Museum & Art Gallery in 2003, concert organiser Jeanie Moore MVO commissioned Clive Jenkins to write "fairly light music to run fifteen minutes including a spoken introduction". She asked for Tamarside, originally an orchestral piece, to be included; she liked the tune. The budget wouldn't stretch to the clarinet quintet originally planned so a version for clarinet and piano was produced.
Peter Cigleris premiered the work with the composer accompanying and in 2013 recorded it on English Fantasy (Cala CD77015) with the pianist Antony Gray. The Chamber Ensemble of London took up the work which resulted in the string orchestra arrangement. The version with string quartet had to wait until 2014 when it was played by Colin Parr with members of the Taunton Sinfonietta Ensemble.
The Five Pieces have been given names for the three published editions, all connected with Plymouth:
Performance duration (approx): 14'00
Trinity College London Bb Clarinet (from 2023)