Francois Devienne Archive

Quartets by FRANÇOIS DEVIENNE – Musica Reale – Channel Classics

by Audiophile Audition | Jan 10, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

FRANÇOIS DEVIENNE (1759-1803): Flute Quartets, Op. 66 , 1 and 3; Bassoon Quartets, Op. 73, 1 and 3 – Musica Reale – Channel Classics CCS SA 35415 SACD (11/3/15) [Dist. by Harmonia mundi] *****: For those who’ve forgotten their elementary music school textbooks, Françoise Devienne was a bassoonist, flutist and composer whose contemporaries were Mozart and Haydn – in fact, after listening to this CD it’s no stretch to add, as if Mozart had been French and loved the flute. Even being no Mozart, Devienne’s flute music in particular is of great importance to flutists and the list of those who have recorded his music begins with Jean-Pierre Rampal and continues with superstars like Sir James Galway and Patrick Gallois. Now we can safely say it extends to Mr. Kerstin McCall, principal flautist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra since 2005. His work in the two flute quartets is so exquisite that you almost don’t mind when Devienne’s inspiration flags. No problem. The fast last movements of each, designed to thrill a very sophisticated, tuned-in audience, do their job so spectacularly well that, together with each of the six movements in the two bassoon quartets, this disc is a must for […]