The new album by two-time ECHO-Award winner Gábor Boldoczki presents virtuosic, contemporary trumpet concertos by composers from Armenia (Arutiunian, Khachaturian, Penderecki [Polish by birth but with Armenian roots]) and Turkey (Fazil Say). The album includes 2 World Premiere Recordings: Say's Trumpet Concerto, Op 31 - written for and dedicated to Boldoczki in 2010 and Penderecki's Concertino per tromba e orchestra - written for and dedicated to Boldoczki in 2015, being his first independent piece for this instrument. At Boldoczki's invitation, the Hungarian composer Péter Erdélyi has arranged Khachaturian's piano miniature "A little song" for trumpet and orchestra.

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REVIEW:

Gábor Boldoczki is a figure respected world-wide in the field of trumpeting, and his reputation is confirmed by the fact that two of the works here, those by Say and Penderecki, were actually written for him. He plays throughout not only with technical mastery, but also with an unaffected musicianship, which makes the performances all the more pleasing. His only blemish is occasional sharpness of pitch in the high register; but this never lasts too long, nor is too painful, and is generously offset by his many other qualities.

All in all a rewarding and enjoyable CD. Fine playing, and music which is challenging but far from inaccessible.

– MusicWeb International