This disc of French
flute music spans a mere 15 years (1942-1957) but covers a lot
of ground. The opening sonata by Poulenc is the latest and much
the best known work but sounds as if it were written much earlier
than the Boulez in particular. Debussy’s influence is at its
strongest here and Poulenc’s stream of atmospheric tunes is
beautifully realized by Gallois and Wong. The second movement
(of three) cantilena is especially enchanting, evoking just
the right degree of poignancy.
Messiaen’s Le
Merle Noir (The Blackbird) was a test piece written for
the Paris Conservatoire and reflects his long time fascination
(and use of) bird song. It predates his Catalogue d’oiseaux
for solo piano by a few years but, despite its relative brevity,
is in the same mould. Listening to this had me wondering why
he chose the piano rather than the flute for his catalogue!
Pierre Sancan is
the least familiar name here. He was a professor at the Paris
Conservatoire who composed quite extensively. His Sonatine was
also a test piece but is highly attractive and harks back to
Ravel. Jolivet’s Chant de Linos exists in two versions
(the other has the flute accompanied by string trio and harp).
In common with the Sancan Sonatine, it was dedicated to the
flautist Gaston Crunelle. This is a threnody in which the lament
is broken by wild outbursts and it has the darkest prevailing
mood of any piece on the disc.
Two more Sonatines
to finish. Dutilleux’s was also a test piece and dedicated to
Crunelle, and is a relatively early work. Nevertheless it is
the work of an individual voice, and the closing section marked
Animé is particularly striking. Boulez’s Sonatine was
amongst his first published works and the aural influence of
Messiaen is strong although the work is fundamentally a product
of serialism. The composer has explained that his use of melodic
cells represented “organized delirium”. This is the longest
and most challenging work on the disc and it provides a fitting
conclusion.
Patrick Gallois
studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Jean-Pierre Rampal
and is well-known both as a flautist and conductor. He sounds
totally at home in this repertoire and is very well supported
by the Canadian pianist Lydia Wong. The recorded sound is most
natural and the issue is well-documented.
Patrick C
Waller
see also Review
by Colin Clarke
Patrick Gallois (flute),
Lydia Wong (piano)
