With Traces of Light, saxophonist and composer Jan Prax presents a deeply expressive and spiritually charged new album. Known as one of Europe's most distinctive saxophonists and a protege of David Sanborn, Prax draws from jazz tradition, improvisation, and a broad musical imagination to create a sound that is vibrant, soulful, and unmistakably his own. Joined by Carl-Henri Morisset on piano, Riccardo Del Fra on double bass, and Zhitong Xu on drums, Prax leads a quartet built on trust, intuition, and shared musical purpose. Across nine original compositions, the album moves through tension, stillness, searching energy, and lyrical release. From the opening lift of 'Elevation' and the smouldering intensity of 'Cold Flame' to the reflective beauty of 'Hope in Bloom,' 'Reverie,' and the title track, the music breathes, expands, and glows with emotional clarity. At it's heart, Traces of Light is an album about connection, compassion, and presence. It is music shaped by fire and finesse, but also by openness and vulnerability and a journey toward light, shared by kindred spirits.

A halo is something like an aura. Cologne-based singer Anette Von Eichel certainly doesn't want to put a halo on her new album, but a halo is also a luminous phenomenon, such as a moonlit ring or a wreath of light, as often seen in nature and everyday life, and which can be interpreted as a revelation of whatever nature. This title couldn't be more fitting for Anette Von Eichel's collection of songs on her new album, and in more ways than one. All of these songs share a nocturnal quality, in which light emerges from the darkness. In the sequence of her songs, we experience a dreamlike journey of a resurrection of the morning twilight from the night.   In a metaphorical sense, it makes a huge difference whether you listen to the album for the first, second, or third time, because an impressive process of transcendence takes place. What at first simply sounds like a series of clearly defined songs in their respective forms gradually transforms into a kind of vocal and musical mass of light, which acts as a parallel phenomenon to reality. This spectral shift culminates in a halo of light that dissolves all forms and contours, a concept perfectly captured by the album title. "When I write a song, it's a conscious process, but the subconscious naturally plays a major role," Anette Von Eichel explains, describing this transformation from her perspective. "With this album in particular, I hope to give people the opportunity to take a step back from their everyday lives and experience a similar transformation while listening."   Listening to the album, regardless of the lyrics, inevitably evokes the feeling that someone is telling a story. From the osmosis of voice and music emerges a flow that inescapably draws the ear into it's vortex. Pianist Sebastian Sternal, bassist Henning Sieverts, and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel become the material and metaphysical vehicles of these stories, which Anette Von Eichel brings to the stage of her song theater with breathtaking versatility. She starts with the lyrics when writing and tries to discover the sound hidden behind the words. "The word enters into a symbiosis with the interaction of our band," the composer explains, describing this phenomenon of the text dissolving into sound. The songs possess a great flexibility, expressed through nuanced improvisation, which allows the songs to grow not only with each performance but, as already mentioned, with each listen.   "Halo" is the third album Anette Von Eichel has recorded with Sternal, Sieverts, and Burgwinkel in six years. The ease of their interplay, the constant negotiation between collective density and individual detachment, and the spontaneous use of open sections reach a new peak here. Eichel's signature style, unmistakable in it's trinity of classic jazz vocals a la Carmen McRae and Betty Carter, singer-songwriter influences in the tradition of Joni Mitchell, and the timbre of French chansons, sounds like standards that have been in the air for decades. They may feature strong melodies and complex rhythms, but the song as a whole always takes center stage, with which the individual elements must harmonize.   There aren't many singers whose voices, both spoken and sung, exhibit such a striking difference as Anette Von Eichel's. When she sings, she doesn't simply slip into a different persona; she confronts hidden inner worlds that couldn't manifest in her everyday use of her voice. This creates an immediate magic, where the sound of her voice is inextricably linked to the specific emotions of the song. "I'm interested in drawing out all the emotions hidden within my voice," says Anette Von Eichel. "When I sing, I delve much deeper into myself and can uncover far more nuances." Which brings us back to the interplay of light and shadow. She slips into roles, often shifting perspectives even within a single song, employing unconventional vocal techniques like sighs or creaks, and using breath as a creative element.   "Halo" is built from light, and yet this album, like few others, creates a pressure equalization that is transmitted from the four musicians to the listener in an almost hypnotic way. The more one embarks on this journey into the twilight and the nuances of human experience, the more liberating the effect. "Halo" is a passionate declaration of the poetic clarity of ambiguity. Let us refrain at this point from pathos-laden phrases like healing, spirituality, or the pulse of life, and instead take the album objectively and soberly for what it is: precisely the right statement for our time. by Wolf Kampmann

The most comprehensive set ever dedicated to the music of a neglected Italian Romantic, reissuing modern performances which have been recognised for their sensitivity and dynamism. As a one-time pupil of Franz Liszt, winning admiration from Richard Wagner at an early stage in his career, Giovanni Sgambati pursued a vocation outside the mainstream of 19th-century Italian music. Rather than opera, he was drawn above all to Germanic instrumental models of the concerto, quartet and symphony, prefiguring in this way the music of Martucci and Respighi as they sought to reclaim those models within an Italian tradition. Another of his successors, Alfredo Casella, paid warm tribute to him as a pioneer: 'The work of Sgambati, is of real importance in musical history it was he, at all events, who pointed the way which Italian composers are now treading in ever greater numbers, with growing confidence, and with increasing success.' Particularly notable in this set is the inclusion of the third and last of Sgambati's symphonies. The First and Second have attracted recordings elsewhere, but under the direction of Francesco Attardi, who has made modern editions of several Sgambati works, the Third is revealed as a powerful symphonic statement in five movements and three parts - in this regard, if in few others, resembling Mahler's Fifth, and taking marriage for it's programmatic theme. There is a nobility of utterance to the Third which makes a striking contrast with the blood and thunder of the G minor Piano Concerto, as well as with the intricately worked counterpoint of the Nonet for strings and the two Piano Quintets. Sgambati was agile in both mind and technique, adapting his idiom to his genres. Any listener hungry for out-of-the-way Romantic rarities will find rich rewards in this new, super-budget collection. In previous Fanfare magazine reviews, it was noted that 'Gaia Federica Caporiccio plays with a winsome freshness.' 'Caramiello's performance is more ruminative, less frenetic... this is highly recommended.' In reviewing the chamber music: 'I find Brilliant's newer recording much more to my liking.'

The double bass, the largest and lowest-pitched instrument of the string family, has a rich and evolving history. It's origins date back to the 15th and 16th centuries, when early bass instruments like the violone were used in European music. Unlike the violin family, the double bass developed with influences from both the viol and violin families, which explains it's varied shapes and tuning systems. By the 18th century, it became a standard member of the orchestra, providing depth and harmonic foundation. Over time, makers refined it's design, increasing it's size and improving it's sound projection. This enterprising program presents works for double bass from 20th century Italy, ranging from double bass solo, duos with violin and duos with piano. Composers include Giuseppe Marangoni, Giovanni de Capua, Virgilio Mortari, Lucia Berio and Vito Mercurio. The guide through this fascinating journey is Antonio Mercurio, with his musical partners Mihaela Costea and Alice Baccalini. Antonio Mercurio held principal double bass positions at the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma, the L. Cherubini Orchestra under Riccardo Muti, he is regularly invited as principal by orchestras like the Orchestra Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Balthasar Neumann Orchestra, Teatro San Carlo, and Royal Northern Sinfonia and Filarmonica della Scala.

With their neww album Tolstoy, Too Noisy Fish, the trio of Peter Vandenberghe (piano, compositions), Kristof Roseeuw, and Teun Verbruggen, opens a new chapter full of freedom and adventure. The moves effortlessly between composition and improvisation, between order and chaos, between what is planned and what emerges in the moment. Too Noisy Fish first made it's mark in the Belgian jazz landscape in 2011, when the rhythm section of the Flat Earth Society Orchestra decided to start pushing boundaries as a trio too. They created four albums, including 'Too Many Fish: 10 Years Too Noisy Fish', a record celebrating the ten year anniversary of the trio by inviting musician and artist friends to join them in the studio and on stage. With their upcoming album, they are once again establishing themselves as a singular trio. The band shows how music can be at once profound and light, sharp and open-hearted, fully in line with the seeming contradictions that are rife in Tolstoy's work. Each piece is a journey, unpredictable, honest, and full of twists, with freedom and adventure as the compass, and no fixed destination. The compositions breathe literature: melodies unfold like sentences, rhythms collide like characters, harmonies pose questions rather than giving answers. Too Noisy Fish remains true to it's distinctive sound world: incisive, playful, unsettling, yet always imbued with deep human warmth. On Tolstoy, the music moves freely through space, silence, humor, and melancholy. An album about the lust for life, choices, and the endless search for meaning; in sound, in silence, in freedom.

Grammy-nominated pianist/composer Michael Eckroth makes his long-awaited SteepleChase debut as a leader with Contrafacto, joined by veteran bassist Ron McClure and dynamic drummer Steve Johns. Long recognized on the label as a versatile sideman, Eckroth steps forward with a program that highlights his refined touch, modern harmonic sense, and deep grounding in the jazz tradition. The trio explores originals and reimagined forms with clarity, swing, and understated fire, allowing Eckroth's melodic imagination to unfold in conversation with McClure's seasoned authority and Johns's responsive drive. Contrafacto introduces a mature, distinctive pianist whose writing and improvising balance structural elegance with spontaneity, marking a compelling new chapter in the SteepleChase piano trio lineage.

Spike Wilner makes a striking SteepleChase debut as a leader with Bird's Words, an album that distils the essence of Charlie Parker into something both reverent and freshly alive. Recorded in Paris with longtime colleagues Dmitry Baevsky, Yves Brouqui, Paul Gill, and Joe Strasser, the session embraces bebop's original discipline: concise, melodic soloing and a shared commitment to speaking Bird's language without modern embellishment. Wilner-steeped in the lineage of Walter Davis Jr., Jaki Byard, and Barry Harris-brings clarity and deep historical insight to every track. The band's tight interplay, crisp articulation, and unforced authority make Bird's Words a vibrant homage that reclaims the art of the concise, meaningful solo. A joyful celebration of Parker's enduring legacy.

SteepleChase originally released in 1984 this Shirley Horn's live tribute to songwriter Curtis Lewis (1918-1987), who was one of the first Black composers and lyricists to emerge on the Broadway scene in the early 1940s. Shirley Horn (1934-2005), long connected to Lewis's music, brings deeply personal readings of 'He's Gone Again,' 'Old Country,' and 'Roaming Lover,' before unfolding the dramatic, story-like suite The Garden of the Blues, quoting Lewis's own linking prose. Her trio-Charles Ables (bass) and Steve Williams (drums)-provides subtle, breathing support, leaving space for Horn's unhurried phrasing and emotional clarity. Newly remastered in 24-bit/96 kHz and pressed on 180g vinyl, this edition restores the concert's warmth, poise, and luminous detail. 'Shirley Horn has one of the most alluring voices in jazz - she let's the lyrics melt into a violet haze as she slowly unwraps the melody - and she's an exceptional pianista wonderful, moving combination of voice and song.' (Cash Box)

With Rain, Flowers and New Beginnings, trumpeter, composer and bandleader Maik Krahl presents a deeply personal and beautifully balanced album about growth, change and resilience. Inspired by the idea that no flower blooms without rain, the music reflects the quiet strength that can emerge from difficult seasons, transforming experience into sound with warmth, clarity and lyrical depth. Krahl's trumpet playing is marked by a rich, flexible tone, elegant phrasing and a calm emotional intensity. Across the album, he moves through spacious, melodic landscapes, playful rhythmic passages and moments of reflective stillness, always maintaining a sense of openness and natural flow. His compositions are adventurous yet grounded, shaped by contrast, silence and release. The album features an exceptional ensemble: Constantin Krahmer on piano, Jakob Kuhnemann on bass, Fabian Rosch on drums and glockenspiel, and Tamara Lukasheva on vocals. Together, they bring Krahl's music to life with sensitivity, imagination and a strong collective voice. From the opening 'Blue Dots Descending' to the closing 'The Journey of Serenity,' Rain, Flowers and New Beginnings unfolds like a musical meditation on renewal. It is an album about what is endured, what is absorbed, and what eventually blossoms.

With Rain, Flowers and New Beginnings, trumpeter, composer and bandleader Maik Krahl presents a deeply personal and beautifully balanced album about growth, change and resilience. Inspired by the idea that no flower blooms without rain, the music reflects the quiet strength that can emerge from difficult seasons, transforming experience into sound with warmth, clarity and lyrical depth. Krahl's trumpet playing is marked by a rich, flexible tone, elegant phrasing and a calm emotional intensity. Across the album, he moves through spacious, melodic landscapes, playful rhythmic passages and moments of reflective stillness, always maintaining a sense of openness and natural flow. His compositions are adventurous yet grounded, shaped by contrast, silence and release. The album features an exceptional ensemble: Constantin Krahmer on piano, Jakob Kuhnemann on bass, Fabian Rosch on drums and glockenspiel, and Tamara Lukasheva on vocals. Together, they bring Krahl's music to life with sensitivity, imagination and a strong collective voice. From the opening 'Blue Dots Descending' to the closing 'The Journey of Serenity,' Rain, Flowers and New Beginnings unfolds like a musical meditation on renewal. It is an album about what is endured, what is absorbed, and what eventually blossoms.

Ludvig Norman Strings are back, this time featuring pianist Kiyo Wada and accordionist Minna Weurlander in Ylva Skog's captivating chamber music. Ylva Skog (born 1963) is inspired by many genres, such as jazz, latin, and pop music, but melts everything down to her own, special music pot. The title track, Trote, for string quartet and accordion is followed by Skog's piano quintet, piano sextet, and her two, short string quartets. Not to be missed if you are interested in enjoyable contemporary music!

SOMM Recordings is delighted to collaborate again with I Musicanti, directed by virtuoso double-bass player Leon Bosch and praised by The Strad for their 'performances of passion and insight.' This latest release features the Brazilian-born, London-based pianist Clelia Iruzun, whose frequent SOMM collaborations include the International Classical Music Award-nominated Piano Concertos by Albeniz & Mignone with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jac van Steen. This release highlights five notable Brazilian composers from generations that succeeded the singular Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos. While their names might not be as familiar as their famous compatriot, the musical qualities of their compositions-all scored for the forces of Schubert's 'Trout' Quintet-are revelatory. The programme opens and closes with works by Edmundo Villani-Cortes (b. 1930) who acknowledges the early influence of Shostakovich and French Impressionism. He composed his 5 Miniaturas brasileiras in 1978 for flute and piano, and their immediate success led to no fewer than seventeen transcriptions for a variety of instrumental combinations. Caratinguê, a municipality in the Southeast Region of Brazil, lends it's name to the work by Villani-Cortes that closes this programme. It combines art and folk music to conjure the lively rhythms and irresistible musical atmosphere of Brazil. Joao Guilherme Ripper (b.1959), who received his D.M.A. in Composition at Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C., later served as composer-in-residence at Kean University in New Jersey, which commissioned From My Window No. 3 in 2011. Ripper describes this three-movement work-heard here in it's first recording-as portraying aspects of his native city, from the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to feelings of nostalgia. A short Song Without Words, Cancao sem palavras, is by Arrigo Barnabe (b. 1951), one of the first and most talented adherents from a movement of urban classically trained musicians in the city of Sao Paulo who added erudite experimentations to pop music. His varied output also includes soundtracks for around half a dozen Brazilian movies. The works of pianist-composer Jose Carlos Amaral Vieira show his ability to write brilliantly for the piano and his intense involvement with the music of Franz Liszt. His Piano Quintet Fronteiras (Frontiers), a reflection on cultural and sonic boundaries, is characterized by Amaral Vieira's distinctive blend of rigorous technical structure and profound emotion. Like Amaral Viera, Marisa Rezende (b.1944) began her musical life as a pianist. She started composing when she was a piano student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she later returned to complete a doctorate in composition. Cismas (Schisms) lives up to it's name, evolving as it does through contrasting segments of gloom, luminosity, and energy.

Guitarist/Composer Matt Panayides makes a compelling SteepleChase debut with Present Echoes, a vibrant quartet session featuring tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, bassist Steve LaSpina, and drummer Mark Ferber. Written in the wake of drummer Anthony Pinciotti's passing, the album presents a full program of originals shaped by reflection, momentum and deep musical heritage. Panayides' writing blends modern harmonic motion with spacious grooves, while the band's interplay highlights each member's individuality-Perry's open, lyrical sound, LaSpina's agile virtuosity, and Ferber's dynamic palette. From the expansive 'Midwestern Skies' to the powerful suite like 'Resist' and a heartfelt reading of Wayne Shorter's 'House of Jade,' Present Echoes introduces a jazz' lead guitar with mature, distinctive voice and a quartet unified by purpose, sensitivity, and forward looking energy. 'With a look back to classic Jazz guitar and a look forward to what awaits Jazz guitar, Matt Panayides provides the prism through which we may look in wonder.' (Travis Rogers, Jr. - The Jazz Owl)

Thad Jones (1923 - 1986) was best known as the leader / composer / arranger of one of the best big jazz bands of the 1960s and 70s. But Thad was also a superb instrumentalist in smaller settings. This was Thad's first quartet recording in 30 years (recorded in Copenhagen, October 1984). The newly remastered 24 bit/96 kHz 180g vinyl edition draws a vivid, intimate portrait of Jones the storyteller: reflective, free, and full of tunes. The session finds Jones in inspired form-'the way his notes fall,' as Mel Lewis once said, is fully on display-mixing relaxed authority, sly humor, and a deeply personal sense of swing. Joined by pianist Ole Kock Hansen, bassist Jesper Lundgaard, and drummer Ed Thigpen, Jones moves effortlessly from buoyant blues to spacious ballads, stretching himself with the same curiosity that marked his early Mingus collaborations '... Jones' harmonically advanced style and crisp sharp sound... very much intact on this relaxed quartet date... His improvisations are thoughtful... easily recommended.' (Down Beat)

Recipient of Village Voice Obie Award tenor saxophonist Vito Dieterle makes a striking SteepleChase debut with Nerve Case, presenting a warm, full bodied sound shaped by years on the New York scene and deep roots in Chicago's tenor tradition. For those of you who do not know much about Vito, here's some interesting excerpts from his website: After attending the prestigious New School Jazz program and freelancing around NYC, Vito began to perform weekly with his band every Sunday at Little Branch starting in early 2005 and soon went on to curate a 5-day a week live music program for the venue, which immediately went on to critical acclaim and exists to this day. He has now gone onto curate festivals and venues in New York and abroad. His working band of guitarist Kris Kaiser, bassist Griffin Fink, and drummer Aaron Seeber shares a rare chemistry that drives the album's mix of standards, jazz gems, and two originals. Dieterle's tone bold and clear leads the group's interplay to a conversational flow. From the Tristano tinged opener 'Split' to the soulful ballads and the bluesy title track, Nerve Case introduces a mature, distinctive voice and a ensemble sound built on shared musical purpose.

2018 release from the Brazilian jazz vocalist. On the liner notes of this release, Luciana Souza says that making music with Chico Pinheiro and Scott Colley is a thing of wonder. And she means that in the sense of what is mysterious, miraculous, and beautiful about making music and lifting poetry from the page.

Tenor saxophonist Rich Perry returns with Dream, his 28th release on SteepleChase, reaffirming his place as one of the most introspective and lyrical voices in modern jazz. Joined by his long-standing quartet—Gary Versace (piano), Jay Anderson (bass), and John Riley (drums)—Perry crafts a set that is both timeless and deeply personal reflecting his evolving artistry and minimalist elegance. Critics have long praised Perry’s “impeccable taste” and “subtle articulation” (JazzTimes), his “adventurous yet highly listenable” approach (All About Jazz), and his ability to “imbue each tune with intense feeling.” Perry summarizes Dream as “a document of where I’m at right now…. this is the kind of album I like to listen to.

The Kodály and Auer Quartets join forces to produce these exceptionally enjoyable performances of the Mendelssohn and Bruch Octets (the latter joined by Zsolt Fejérvári on the double bass). The combined ensembles sound of uniform mind and spirit in both works, playing with a sense of joyous abandon in the Mendelssohn and sinewy vigor in the Bruch. The rich string tone lends an ingratiating warmth to the collective sound, while the players' impeccable musicianship assures that every note registers, even in the many rapid ostinatos that comprise much of the Mendelsson. The Kodály and Auer play from the heart as well as the head, certainly so in their delicate phrasing in the tender slow movements. Naxos' close-perspective recording keeps the performers at a comfortable distance while providing ample space for the string timbres to naturally resonate. This one's an easy recommendation: beautiful, stimulating music, marvelous performances, and excellent recording all at the Naxos price. What more could you ask for?

--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

Dvorák's String Quintet with double bass can be counted among his finest chamber works (or actually among his finest works, period). It contains all of the composer's trademark compositional virtues: vibrant energy, gorgeous melodies, dancing rhythms, and an overall life-affirming spirit. There's spirit aplenty in the Vlach Quartet's joyous reading, augmented by Jakub Waldmann's double bass, which, thanks to Naxos' beautifully balanced, sonorous recording, adds a satisfyingly deep bottom to the ensemble sound. The Quintet originally contained five movements, but Dvorák removed the intermezzo and published it separately as the familiar Nocturno, which here receives an exquisitely tender and serene reading from the Prague players.


The tunes in Drobnosti (miniatures) will be recognizable to anyone familiar with Dvorák's Romantic Pieces for piano and violin, here in their original version for two violins and viola. This arrangement sounds slight after the robust tones of the preceding Quintet, but the delicate tunes nonetheless retain their power to enchant. Finally, the melancholy Andante appassionato (from an aborted early string quartet project), is notable for its beautiful tunes and an animated middle section that bears a striking stylistic resemblance to Tchaikovsky. In sum, a richly varied and highly enjoyable program. [12/19/2002]
--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

For a work of this importance, there have been remarkably few recordings of Pergolesi’s delicious little intermezzo La Serva Padrona (The Housekeeper-Boss). Composed in 1733 to be performed between the acts of the composer’s opera seria Il Prigionier superbo, the piece ignited the splendidly hysterical Querelle des bouffons in Paris in 1752, pitting supporters of Italian opera (led by Rousseau) against fans of French opera (typified by Rameau). Perhaps more significantly, Pergolesi’s comedy seemed to indicate the direction in which the operatic winds were blowing–away from heavy duty tragedy and towards the buffo comedies of the nascent classical era.

The work is simplicity itself. Its two acts last barely forty-five minutes and contain five arias, two duets, a finale, and lots of secco recitative. No single number lasts much longer than four minutes, and several of the recitatives are bigger than the arias. The plot is rudimentary: Serpina the maid is so pushy that her bachelor employer, Uberto, decides to get married simply to get her under the control of the household’s new mistress. Serpina, seeing her chance, decides that she will marry Uberto herself, and after she arranges her own trumped up wedding to a stranger Uberto realizes that he loves her and all ends as planned.

Pergolesi’s music seems to have been designed to show off in the most schematic way all that was most appealing in the Italian school. The scoring is paired down to strings and continuo; the accompaniments are simple, the characters (only two of them) come from the middle and working classes, the action moves swiftly, and best of all, the tunes are pure vocal gold. Consider, for example, the sweetly lyrical aria, “A Serpina penserete”. Music historians, scholars, and theoreticians have never been able to wrap their brains around a style dependent on quality of melody as its primary constituent–it really is unanalyzable–and the result has always been a tendency to disparage Italian music as compared to the German or French schools, especially when those doing the analyzing happen to be German or French. Audiences, of course, have no such difficulties, hence the Querelle des bouffons and other, similar controversies throughout history.

This performance, fortunately, is quite a good one. As Uberto baritone Michele Govi sings with firm tone and he acts well with the voice; only a weakness in his lower register prevents him from being ideal. Federica Zanello’s soprano sounds a bit heavy, dare I say “matronly?” for the waspish Serpina, but she uses what she has intelligently and she is never unpleasant to listen to. The Ensemble Regia Accademia, a pick-up group drawn from various northern Italian orchestras, plays well under the direction of Marco Dallara, and the engineering sounds warm and well-balanced. As I said at the start, it’s very odd that there are so few choices available for this work, but this one will do nicely.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

GOUVY Sérénades: No. 1 in G; 1 No. 2 in F; 1 Op. post. in d 1. Introduction et Polonaise 2. Danse suédoise 2 • Markus Brönnimann (fl); 1 Kreisler Qt; 1 Ilka Emmert (db); 2 Michael Kleiser (pn) • TOCCATA 0185 (61:42)


As regular readers of this magazine will know, I am an ardent advocate of the music of Louis Théodore Gouvy (1819-1898), an enthusiasm I share with past and present Fanfare reviewers Barry Brenesal, Jerry Dubins, David Johnson, John W. Lambert, Robert McColley, and Peter J. Rabinowitz. The virtual consensus across the board is that Gouvy was a significant composer of the Romantic era who wrote music of considerable substance, which has until recently suffered unjust neglect. At this point, there are now a dozen or so CD sets in print of Gouvy’s compositions, with a few others out of print, devoted primarily to his symphonic works, large-scale choral pieces (secular oratorios and a Requiem), and chamber music, plus one disc apiece of his chansons and his piano music for four hands. I don’t know if this Gouvy renaissance on recordings has led yet to an increase in concert performances—I’ve not seen any myself—but it certainly provides hope for the future, and in the meantime grants a boon to music lovers for private enjoyment.


The present disc adds to our knowledge of Gouvy’s chamber works, with the world premiere recordings of five pieces for flute. (A sixth piece, the Sérénade vénitienne for flute, viola, and harp, was issued in 1999 on a Calliope CD.) All of them date from later in Gouvy’s life: the Danse suédoise from 1879, the Introduction et Polonaise from 1890, and the three sérénades for flute and string quintet (which all add a double-bass to the standard string quartet) from 1888, 1889, and 1891 respectively. The first two pieces are adaptations of movements from other works: the Danse from the op. 71 Octet, and the Introduction from the op. 83 Ghiribizzi for piano duet. The one-movement op. post. Sérénade is probably a torso of a planned larger work that was never completed; as it is, one four-page folio is missing from the surviving unpublished manuscript, but musicologist and Gouvy scholar Oliver Schmitt was able to reconstruct that material from a surviving adaptation for piano duet. While the excellent booklet notes by Schmitt (which include actual musical passages from the scores, a most commendable practice that seems to be all but extinct) do not mention an impetus for the composition of any of the other works, the Sérénade No. 1 was commissioned by the Philharmonic Club of New York, an indication of the international reputation that Gouvy once had before fading into total obscurity immediately upon his death.


While Toccata is to be commended for adding to the Gouvy discography, so far as repertoire is concerned this is definitely minor rather than major Gouvy. All of the pieces are thoroughly charming divertissements with appealing melodies and formal elegance, but none is of great significance. The instrumentalists (who have nice color photos featured on the inside face of the back tray card) are uniformly excellent and play these works with all the charm and gracefulness one could ask for. The recorded sound is ideal, with just the right perspective and balance and an inviting degree of warmth, and as previously mentioned the program notes are outstanding. While this is not an essential acquisition, lovers of Gouvy or of chamber music for flute should find this disc quite appealing, and it is recommended accordingly.


FANFARE: James A. Altena

Featuring reinterpretations of famous jazz standards by artists like Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell, Charlie Haden, and his daughter Petra Haden on vocals, Paul Motian creates an audio film about scenes in New York City for closed eyes.