Flutist Clara Andrada will be familiar to anyone who listens to concerts and recordings of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe or the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, playing the flute section on both ensembles. Assuming the soloist role with the Frankfurt band, this new release brings together three seemingly related Flute Concertos, all written in the 20th century. In reality, the pieces of this album are quite different, both in character and in compositional technique.
Standing in the shadow of his late Clarinet Concerto and Violin Concerto, Nielsen’s Flute Concerto is a remarkable piece that should be performed more often. That being said, it’s well represented on record by best orchestras and flutists. What makes the version we have here impressive, is the assured drama and reserved approach which sits very comfortably with the piece. The orchestra’s presentation of the second subject and Andrada’s response thereof (1’30”) is all the more moving when not delved into, thus making beautiful what’s needn’t be beautified. I also liked Andrada’s phrasing and tone coloring when the orchestra reaches dominant chords in the second movement, adding just the right amount of shading to the mix. This movement also contains lovely dialogues with Andrada’s fellow woodwind section members, most notably with the bassoon and the bass-trombone, so crucial to the orchestration of this piece.
Ibert’s Flute Concerto (1932-1933) is very typical to the composer’s output. There are attractive rhythmic patterns and some lovely tunes, sometimes to the point of superficiality. Andrada takes on the extreme difficulties of the flue part in the outer movements impressively, and the orchestra certainly plays with fines, yet one wishes the ensemble would let go a little, losing their neckties if you will, as the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo and John Neschling did for Sharon Bezaly (BIS). The slow movement, however, is absolutely beautiful; Andrara shows well-chosen use of vibrato in the upper registers and a sparse use in the lower ones. The strings give wonderful support, with a sound not dissimilar to period-instrument groups that choose to play 20th-century French repertoire on instruments from the period (Les Siècles comes to mind). Listen to this movement’s high point and try remaining indifferent (track 4, 4’04”).
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It’s very easy to make Malcolm Arnold’s Concerto No. 1 for Flute and String Orchestra into a movie score, taking into consideration this composer’s huge success in the field. James Galway’s approach with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner did just that, somehow failing to fulfill this piece’s full potential as a series composition. Along with the Nielsen Concerto, this is a highly successful performance, revealing many layers in the sophisticated string orchestration never heard before on record. The synchronization between Andrada and the Frankfurt strings section is tight, the soloist adopting different tone for bow vs. Pizzicato accompaniment. In the slow movement, where Galway took us into a Hollywood-shot sunset, Andrada shifts the intonation a little, depriving us of complete tonal stability. This may make some perfect-pith listeners uncomfortable, yet it’s a highly original approach that works well, giving this movement extra meaning. There is no wanting in temperament in the final movement either, where the virtuosity of soloist and orchestra is truly remarkable.
Throughout this fascinating album, Andrada’s tone is strong and direct but also full and multi-layered. This is possible to appreciate due to the recording quality, which is spacious yet detailed, though I sometimes wished the mics to give a little more space to the timpani. As to the ordering of the concertos, maybe the Ibert should have been placed last in the program, being the most sharply dramatic of the there concertos. In any case, this is a most satisfying and refreshing flute and orchestra release. Highly recommended.
“Flute Concertos“
Nielsen – Flute Concerto
Ibert – Flute Concerto
Arnold – Flute Concerto No. 1
Clara Andrada – Flute
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Jaime Martín – Conductor
Ondine, CD ODE 1340-2
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