{"product_id":"gouvy-serenades-for-flute-and-strings","title":"Gouvy: Sérénades for Flute and Strings","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eGOUVY \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eSérénades:\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003e No. 1 in G;\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12b\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003e No. 2 in F;\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12b\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003e Op. post. in d\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12b\"\u003e1. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eIntroduction et Polonaise\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12b\"\u003e2. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eDanse suédoise\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12b\"\u003e2 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Markus Brönnimann (fl); \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eKreisler Qt; \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eIlka Emmert (db); \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eMichael Kleiser (pn) \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12\"\u003e • \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e TOCCATA 0185 (61:42) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eAs regular readers of this magazine will know, I am an ardent advocate of the music of Louis Théodore Gouvy (1819-1898), an enthusiasm I share with past and present \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e reviewers Barry Brenesal, Jerry Dubins, David Johnson, John W. Lambert, Robert McColley, and Peter J. Rabinowitz. The virtual consensus across the board is that Gouvy was a significant composer of the Romantic era who wrote music of considerable substance, which has until recently suffered unjust neglect. At this point, there are now a dozen or so CD sets in print of Gouvy’s compositions, with a few others out of print, devoted primarily to his symphonic works, large-scale choral pieces (secular oratorios and a Requiem), and chamber music, plus one disc apiece of his chansons and his piano music for four hands. I don’t know if this Gouvy renaissance on recordings has led yet to an increase in concert performances—I’ve not seen any myself—but it certainly provides hope for the future, and in the meantime grants a boon to music lovers for private enjoyment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eThe present disc adds to our knowledge of Gouvy’s chamber works, with the world premiere recordings of five pieces for flute. (A sixth piece, the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSérénade vénitienne \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003efor flute, viola, and harp, was issued in 1999 on a Calliope CD.) All of them date from later in Gouvy’s life: the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDanse suédoise\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e from 1879, the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eIntroduction et Polonaise\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e from 1890, and the three \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003esérénades\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e for flute and string quintet (which all add a double-bass to the standard string quartet) from 1888, 1889, and 1891 respectively. The first two pieces are adaptations of movements from other works: the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDanse\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e from the op. 71 Octet, and the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e from the op. 83 \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eGhiribizzi\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e for piano duet. The one-movement op. post. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSérénade\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e is probably a torso of a planned larger work that was never completed; as it is, one four-page folio is missing from the surviving unpublished manuscript, but musicologist and Gouvy scholar Oliver Schmitt was able to reconstruct that material from a surviving adaptation for piano duet. While the excellent booklet notes by Schmitt (which include actual musical passages from the scores, a most commendable practice that seems to be all but extinct) do not mention an impetus for the composition of any of the other works, the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSérénade\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e No. 1 was commissioned by the Philharmonic Club of New York, an indication of the international reputation that Gouvy once had before fading into total obscurity immediately upon his death. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eWhile Toccata is to be commended for adding to the Gouvy discography, so far as repertoire is concerned this is definitely minor rather than major Gouvy. All of the pieces are thoroughly charming \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003edivertissements \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003ewith appealing melodies and formal elegance, but none is of great significance. The instrumentalists (who have nice color photos featured on the inside face of the back tray card) are uniformly excellent and play these works with all the charm and gracefulness one could ask for. The recorded sound is ideal, with just the right perspective and balance and an inviting degree of warmth, and as previously mentioned the program notes are outstanding. While this is not an essential acquisition, lovers of Gouvy or of chamber music for flute should find this disc quite appealing, and it is recommended accordingly. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: James A. Altena \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Toccata","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49606676119832,"sku":"5060113441850","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2225549.jpg?v=1777638574","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/gouvy-serenades-for-flute-and-strings","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}