Classical CD Reviews
“Fire Island” - Works of PIAZZOLLA, YATES, MCDOWALL, HEATH - Anna Noakes, fl. - Dutton
"Scree" - Works of DEBUSSY, AMIROV, MARTIN, ZYMAN, MOWER - Elena Yarritu, fl. - MSR
Flute & Piano x 2
Published on November 18, 2008
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“Fire Island” - MARTIN YATES: Sonata (“Fire Island”); Sonatina; CECILIA McDOWALL: The Moon Dances; Not Just a Place (flute/cello/piano); DAVID HEATH: Golden Sunset (solo flute & flute ensemble); PIAZZOLLA: Oblivion (flute/cello/piano) - Anna Noakes, flute/Caroline Palmer, piano/Justin Pearson, cello - Dutton DCLX 7210, 76:08 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****:
“Scree” - SAMUEL ZYMAN: Sonata; DEBUSSY: Clair de lune; AMIROV: Six Pieces; FRANK MARTIN: Ballade; MIKE MOWER: Sonata No. 3 - Elena Yarritu, flute/Gabriel Sanchez, piano - MSR Classics MS 1277, 61:13 **** [Distr. by Albany]:
Works for the duo of flute and keyboard instrument have been popular ever since the Baroque era, when the harpsichord was usually expanded into a basso continuo structure with the addition of a gamba, bass or other instrument. The greater tonal possibilities of the grand piano can well handle the accompaniment now and additional instruments are not needed. Here are two recent flute CDs of interest.
Flutist Noakes is lucky in having composer Martin Yates having written nearly all of his many flute works especially for her. His Sonata for Flute and Piano and titled “Fire Island” and that provides the title for her album. The nearly 22-minute work is not specifically about the area of Long Island, but is inspired by the various meanings of the separate words “fire” and “island.” Its exuberant finale expresses the excesses of life. The shorter Sonatina is a lighter work, a sort of musical holiday. McDowall’s The Moon Dances evokes different aspects of dance. Golden Sunset is a fascinating work originally premiered with a Japanese flute choir. There is no credit for a flute choir here, so I take it flutist Noakes overdubbed those parts herself. The work is the most avant on the CD but most interesting. Overblown harmonics of the flutes are used, with some very ethereal sounds produced. The center slow movement is influenced harmonically by modern jazz. The arrangement for flute of one of Piazzolla’s most affecting tangos - Oblivion - brings the recital to a fine close.
It appears the title of the Yarritu/Sanchez duo CD comes from the name of the final movement of the closing Sonata No. 3 by Mike Mower - Scree. Each of its four movements is titled after geological formations, and scree is a cascade of rocks and shale on a steep mountain slope. The music comes to a fittingly crashing conclusion. This collection of contemporary works for flute and piano opens with a work even more contemporary in sound than the Fire Island CD, but it also includes works of Amirov and Martin. The Zyman Sonata is a major three-movement work from a composer of Mexican-Jewish heritage who studied with Roger Sessions and David Diamond. The composer stresses the importance to him of rhythm and pulse in his music. The arrangement by Mike Mower of Debussy’s famous melody is a nice change-of-pace in the album. Swiss composer Martin wrote five ballades for five different solo instruments, and this is the one for flute. It touches on 12-tone techniques and has a hard-edged expressionistic slant. Amirov’s tuneful six short pieces for flute and piano were influenced by his native Azerbaijan folk music.
- John Sunier
“Scree” - SAMUEL ZYMAN: Sonata; DEBUSSY: Clair de lune; AMIROV: Six Pieces; FRANK MARTIN: Ballade; MIKE MOWER: Sonata No. 3 - Elena Yarritu, flute/Gabriel Sanchez, piano - MSR Classics MS 1277, 61:13 **** [Distr. by Albany]:
Works for the duo of flute and keyboard instrument have been popular ever since the Baroque era, when the harpsichord was usually expanded into a basso continuo structure with the addition of a gamba, bass or other instrument. The greater tonal possibilities of the grand piano can well handle the accompaniment now and additional instruments are not needed. Here are two recent flute CDs of interest.
Flutist Noakes is lucky in having composer Martin Yates having written nearly all of his many flute works especially for her. His Sonata for Flute and Piano and titled “Fire Island” and that provides the title for her album. The nearly 22-minute work is not specifically about the area of Long Island, but is inspired by the various meanings of the separate words “fire” and “island.” Its exuberant finale expresses the excesses of life. The shorter Sonatina is a lighter work, a sort of musical holiday. McDowall’s The Moon Dances evokes different aspects of dance. Golden Sunset is a fascinating work originally premiered with a Japanese flute choir. There is no credit for a flute choir here, so I take it flutist Noakes overdubbed those parts herself. The work is the most avant on the CD but most interesting. Overblown harmonics of the flutes are used, with some very ethereal sounds produced. The center slow movement is influenced harmonically by modern jazz. The arrangement for flute of one of Piazzolla’s most affecting tangos - Oblivion - brings the recital to a fine close.
It appears the title of the Yarritu/Sanchez duo CD comes from the name of the final movement of the closing Sonata No. 3 by Mike Mower - Scree. Each of its four movements is titled after geological formations, and scree is a cascade of rocks and shale on a steep mountain slope. The music comes to a fittingly crashing conclusion. This collection of contemporary works for flute and piano opens with a work even more contemporary in sound than the Fire Island CD, but it also includes works of Amirov and Martin. The Zyman Sonata is a major three-movement work from a composer of Mexican-Jewish heritage who studied with Roger Sessions and David Diamond. The composer stresses the importance to him of rhythm and pulse in his music. The arrangement by Mike Mower of Debussy’s famous melody is a nice change-of-pace in the album. Swiss composer Martin wrote five ballades for five different solo instruments, and this is the one for flute. It touches on 12-tone techniques and has a hard-edged expressionistic slant. Amirov’s tuneful six short pieces for flute and piano were influenced by his native Azerbaijan folk music.
- John Sunier
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