Reveries FC062

The twentieth century was, as was the baroque era, a golden age for the flute. Especially in France—Paris was the cultural center of Europe at the time—countless compositions were written for the instrument. The French flute school blossomed under the guidance of such flutists as Paul Taffanel, Philippe Gaubert, Louis Fleury and Marcel Moyse. Their sound was clear, the vibrato light. They performed on silver or metal flutes with a diaphanous sound using the modern (German) Boehm system. The flutes, however, were modified to French taste by builders such as Louis Lot and Vincent Godfroy. This was the moment in time that the modern flute developed into a virtuosic and full-fledged instrument. It coincided with a new compositional style in France. Impressionism took over where Romanticism left off. Following on the coat-tails of Impressionism was the more direct and concise movement of neo-Classicism—represented by the Groupe des Six (of which Francis Poulenc, Louis Durey and Germaine Tailleferre were members)—in which even elements of jazz and café chantant could be heard. French composers loved to write for the flute: they were inspired by the pastoral and charming character of the instrument, a perfect medium for their musical ideas.For this CD, Eleonore Pameijer has selected a number of compositions, both well-known pieces as well as rare gems, that together give an idea of this musically fertile and captivating period.
Pameijer and Van Ruth are an ideal duo. The compositions by Caplet, Aubert, Durey and Tailleferre form a hearty prelude to the flute sonata by Francis Poulenc (1956-57), a composition encompassing all of the benefits of the 20th century. Not a surly modern piece, but melodic, through and through, harmonically spicy, rhythmically energetic and conveying the sentiments which can only be Poulenc’s. The piece is performed as it is rarely heard: sharp as a knife, not comfortable or satiny. Pameijer sounds salutary, straight tones, while Van Ruth gives every new entrance new elan. That is exactly how the score was written, how come nobody ever performs it that way?

Jurjen Vis
Het Financieele Dagblad (the Dutch Financial Times)
October 28, 2006