Providing musical snapshots of the flute repertoire, either written in Paris or inspired by the French school of playing, Emmanuel Pahud’s album “Mozart and the Flute in Paris” showcases some key pieces written for the instrument. Each piece is a portrait of beauty, elegance and sophistication; depicting very different styles, moods and emotions in a curious, but carefully curated program.
The album opens with “Dreamtime” by Philippe Hersant, a highly accessible contemporary work for solo flute and orchestra. With eastern influences and textures not dissimilar to John Adams, the flute line is mostly melodic and is superbly played by Pahud. He showcases his virtuosity in a dexterous and subtle way, setting the tone for the entire album.
Sandwiching Poulenc’s Flute Sonata is an eloquent sequence of stand-alone pieces by composers central to late 19th and early 20th century French music — Saint-Säens, Fauré and Chaminade. In the “Romance” by Saint-Säens, Pahud is very sensitive to the phrasing and tone, bringing an almost operatic quality to the flute. This lyricism continues through to Fauré’s “Fantasie”, played here in Louis Aubert‘s orchestrated version. The Chaminade “Concertino” is played with the same sensitivity and gentility as the other companion pieces; the careful pacing results in a refined but satisfying climax.
As in the Fauré, the piano accompaniment is orchestrated for the Poulenc sonata, this time in the James Galway commissioned Lennox Berkeley arrangement. Like in the Fauré the orchestral hues shine a different light on the accompaniment and change the relationship the flutist has with the pieces. Gone is that intimacy that has the pianist represented by a more soloistic role. Pahud is acutely aware of this and the bond he has with the Orchestre de Chambre Paris and conductor François Lelelux, allows him to shine eloquently while maintaining a delicate balance without being overly prominent.
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Concluding with two concertos by Mozart, the “sinfonia concertante” for winds is beautifully done, but the tempo choices lack energy, and whilst the performance shines, the youthful vivacity of this early work is misrepresented. The overall style is more akin to the more mature Mozart, with richness to the sound. The horn playing from Radovan Vlatković is nothing short of remarkable, holding his own without overwhelming the other soloists.
The performance of the concerto for flute and harp is a commanding one and brims with delight, a more mature approach than Pahud’s previous recording with Claudio Abbado and the trimmed-down Berlin Philharmonic. Pahud and Lelelux choose some bold tempos, which project a certain joie de vivre, the outer movements being broader than Pahud’s previous rendition. The orchestral sound has a purity quite different to the Berliners, making a refined and enjoyable sound. The capturing of the flute and harp is excellent, but Warner’s engineers have brought them too forward in the balance with the orchestra; The woodwind and horns get lost occasionally, lacking the clarity of the textures found in other recordings. The bond between Pahud and harpist Anneleen Lenaerts is a formidable one, but they fall short of the chemistry he had with Marie-Pierre Langlamet in his first recording, or that of James Galway and Marisa Robles. For an overall outstanding comparison, try the Britten Sinfonia, with Lucy Wakeford (harp) and Kate Hill (flute), under conductor Nicholas Cleobury.
The booklet is an interesting and accessible read, setting the album and the school of the French flute, technique and music in an authoritative context. The ordering of the program, in an almost reverse chronology, is enjoyable. Minor quibbles aside, this is an enticing program, thoughtfully executed, superbly curated and researched, with fine performances all around.
“Mozart & Flute in Paris”
Emmanuel Pahud – Flute
Anneleen Lenaerts – Harp
Orchestre De Chambre De Paris
François Leleux
Warner Classics, CD 9029673932
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