The flute and piano duo Cantilena, made up of flautist Odinn Baldvinsson and pianist Patricia Romero, are based in the UK and are establishing a fine reputation since the release of their debut CD (also eponymous), for a wide range of repertoire, mainly Romantic, both popular and less well known. So on this superb album, we have the beautiful Concertino of Chaminade, and Dutilleux’s Sonatine, both quite well known; the Suite by Widor is a little known piece by a composer more famed for his organ music and is very much in the French Romantic mould: also exquisite is the rare Sonata by Georgian composer Taktakishvili; finally Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango – a very well known piece but amazingly this is its first ever recording in the version for flute and piano.
Composer: Charles-Marie Widor
-
A Song Without Words – The Legacy of Paul Taffanel
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Paul Taffanel was probably the most influential figure in the world of flute music, as performer and composer, but more so as inspirer, commissioner and supporter of fine works by a multitude of composers; this set contains many of those, most of which, having fallen out of fashion in the modernist 20th century, have never been recorded until now – indeed many have been unperformed for years. A great shame as these are without exception, exquisite and lovely works, beautifully performed. One or two well known pieces are included too. The artists have put an immense amount of dedication into this, their ‘magnum opus’. over 76 minutes on each CD all at mid price.