In
many ways, this collection of works is exactly what one
might expect for this instrument pairing. Dreamy, Debussian
works harking back to Afternoon of a Faun, are the
order of the day here. I must confess that such homage is
not a bad thing at all. Mmes. Zucker and Jolles have compiled
an ultimate “rainy day in the woods” recital, and it makes
a very pleasant hour of listening indeed.
It
opens with Ida Gotkowsky’s Eolienne for flute
and harp. This is a brief five movement work whose breezy
melodies and virtuoso writing complete with extended techniques
for both instruments is simultaneously soothing to the ear
and thrilling. It makes for a welcome beginning.
Jean
Francaix is a composer that I have come to know only recently, and with each
new work that I hear, I kick myself for passing him over
for so long. Tuneful and yet never trite, Francaix’s is
an original and yet traditional voice. These delightful
miniatures show him at his finest. Cleverly crafted with
nary a wasted note, these are pieces of tremendous charm
and panache.
Theo
Smit Sibinga lived a difficult life, enduring exile and incarceration as a war
prisoner during World War II. And yet his music reflects
such serenity one would wonder that he ever suffered so
much as a head cold. Expressive and tuneful, his Three
images are wonderful theatre of the mind. The listener
is quickly lost in reverie.
Although
Victor Frost claims that the tunes in the opening
movement of his Sonatine are adapted from children’s
songs, one can clearly hear the influence of Wagner. I had
to pay careful attention to make sure that I was not hearing
a quote from the Lohengrin prelude. Of all the works
on this program, Frost’s is the most harmonically venturesome,
which is a welcome alleviation from the sort of whole-tone
sameness of the preceding works. His manipulation of meter
and rhythm is also a refreshing relief from the arpeggiated
world of the earlier works. He actually writes some music
that borders on agitato, although he never comes
right out and does it. Of all the works on this disc, I
found this one to be the most rewarding.
Katherine
Hoover’s Dances and Variations
is the longest work on the program and from the outset is
full of vigor and rhythmic vitality, even amidst its gentle
harmonies. The adagio is rather episodic in nature, and
it captivates the ears with its mysterious sonorities and
sometimes halting, ambiguous rhythmic structure. The final
variations on the tune My Days have been so Wondrous
Free was not at all what I expected, and the folk tune
foundation gives the closing of this work a comforting sense
of repose.
This
is my first experience with the Cantilena label, and I must
say that the results are very pleasing. I was however maddened
by the low quality of the program notes. For most listeners,
this is completely unfamiliar music, and there was precious
little information about the works themselves. Far more
ink was spilled on biographies of the composers, which in
my opinion was the opposite of where the emphasis should
lie. If these composers are as award-winning and outstanding
as is indicated in the notes, then their music will speak
well enough for them. It would be better to know a bit of
what to expect from the works themselves.
Fortunately,
the music does speak well of its composers. These are lovely
works, refreshingly tuneful and elegant, yet not at all
without substance. They are lovingly performed by two exceptionally
fine players, and they are captured in a fine, well balanced,
clear ambience. Of particular merit is the exquisite balance
between the players, their utter respect for each other
in terms of collaboration and ensemble, and Ms. Zucker’s
lush, warm and never shrill tone. With the exception of
my quibble about the documentation, this disc is a complete
winner and an adventure in sound that deserves to be sought
out by serious collectors and musicians, and by casual lovers
of delightful music alike. Very highly recommended indeed.
Kevin
Sutton
