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Saint-Saens: Sonata for Oboe and Piano; Faure / Mayer, Wisniewska
Tudor

Saint-Saens: Sonata for Oboe and Piano; Faure / Mayer, Wisniewska

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Details

Composer
FAURÉ SAINT-SAËNS PIERNÉ SA
Artist
Mayer, Albrecht, Wisniewska, Karina
Format
CD
Label
Tudor
Released
Jun 30, 2009
Catalog #
T7067
UPC
812973010678

About

It is a shame that this unhackneyed collection of French music for oboe and piano has been overlooked. The Swiss company Tudor apply their usual exemplary production standards to recording and documentation. Artistic matters are in the hands of two dedicated musicians. Bamberg-born Mayer produces a full-throated quality, but going by the initial Fauré tracks, tends to scout over emotional expression. The Sicilienne could have been touching if the emotional agenda had been painted in. The Pavane feels rushed. The Berceuse is on the other hand quite pleasing with the note production being both curvaceous and penetrating. Wisniewska’s piano sound is rounded; not harsh. The Saint-Saens Sonata seems congealed in the first movement but in the other two is perfectly gracious. There is a gamin cheeky finale with strange echoes of Beethoven’s Fifth. Is Saint-Saens lampooning Beethoven?

Then we are back to Fauré with a sequence of five song transcriptions. Après un rêve is heavy-lidded and weighed down with sleepy contentment. Le secret is suitably grave with the music carrying a faintly melancholy tincture. Au bord de l'eau explores an elusive mood though the faint clicking of the oboe’s key mechanism can be heard and does return you to earth. Clair de lune is a brisk and pleasant stroll of a piece; not ardent. Mayer’s oboe here takes on the opulence of its cousin up the road, the clarinet. There are two Pierné’s represented in this recital Gabriel’s Serenade has an Iberian accent – more Massenet than Ravel. The Pièce sounds rather Tchaikovskian with a surprisingly brusque role for the piano. Fantasie Pastorale is by Paul Pierné. It radiates elysian calm – superbly done by the two players. The Satie pieces are well enough known. Here that sentimentality deficit I mentioned earlier is again in evidence though I did note that Wisniewska’s insight provided emotional contrast – listen to the way she gives face to a simple note cell in Gymnopédie 2. Bozza’s Fantaisie Pastorale is so much more than the shallow display piece I had braced myself for. It surveys stygian Bax territory, moves into showers of fanciful curlicues and culminates in a magically poised and elfin close. Koechlin’s Au Loin is for English horn and piano. It is splendidly ermine-dark and languid. The melodic material might remind some listeners of Bax’s In The Faery Hills.


-- Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Sicilienne, Op. 78 (arr. for oboe and piano) 03:31
    Track
    1
    Title
    Sicilienne, Op. 78 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    03:31
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  2. 2 Pavane, Op. 50 (arr. for oboe and piano) 04:43
    Track
    2
    Title
    Pavane, Op. 50 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    04:43
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  3. 3 Berceuse, Op. 16 (arr. for oboe and piano) 03:09
    Track
    3
    Title
    Berceuse, Op. 16 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  4. 4 Vocalise-Etude (arr. for oboe and piano) 02:58
    Track
    4
    Title
    Vocalise-Etude (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  5. 5 I. Andantino 03:21
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Andantino
    Duration
    03:21
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  6. 6 II. Ad libitum - Allegretto - Ad libitum 06:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Ad libitum - Allegretto - Ad libitum
    Duration
    06:29
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  7. 7 III. Molto allegro 02:34
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Molto allegro
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Camille Saint-Saëns
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  8. 8 Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano) 03:01
    Track
    8
    Title
    Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    03:01
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  9. 9 Les berceaux, Op. 23, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano) 02:18
    Track
    9
    Title
    Les berceaux, Op. 23, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    02:18
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  10. 10 Le secret, Op. 23, No. 3 (arr. for oboe and piano) 02:05
    Track
    10
    Title
    Le secret, Op. 23, No. 3 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  11. 11 Au bord de l'eau, Op. 8, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano) 01:44
    Track
    11
    Title
    Au bord de l'eau, Op. 8, No. 1 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    01:44
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  12. 12 Clair de lune, Op. 46, No. 2 (arr. for oboe and piano) 02:58
    Track
    12
    Title
    Clair de lune, Op. 46, No. 2 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Gabriel Fauré
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  13. 13 Serenade, Op. 7 (arr. for oboe and piano) 02:31
    Track
    13
    Title
    Serenade, Op. 7 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    02:31
    Composer
    Gabriel Pierné
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  14. 14 Piece in G Minor, Op. 5 02:24
    Track
    14
    Title
    Piece in G Minor, Op. 5
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Gabriel Pierné
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  15. 15 Fantaisie-Pastorale 06:45
    Track
    15
    Title
    Fantaisie-Pastorale
    Duration
    06:45
    Composer
    Paul Pierné
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  16. 16 No. 1. Lent et douloureux 02:01
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 1. Lent et douloureux
    Duration
    02:01
    Composer
    Erik Satie
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  17. 17 No. 2. Lent et triste 02:04
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 2. Lent et triste
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Erik Satie
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  18. 18 No. 3. Lent et grave 01:32
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 3. Lent et grave
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Erik Satie
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  19. 19 Fantaisie Pastorale 06:24
    Track
    19
    Title
    Fantaisie Pastorale
    Duration
    06:24
    Composer
    Eugène Bozza
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska
  20. 20 Au loin, Op. 20, No. 2 (arr. for oboe and piano) 04:50
    Track
    20
    Title
    Au loin, Op. 20, No. 2 (arr. for oboe and piano)
    Duration
    04:50
    Composer
    Charles Koechlin
    Performer
    Albrecht Mayer, Karina Wisniewska