Ibert; Khachaturian: Flute Concertos

Advantages: Beautiful relaxing music. Rich instrumentation. Played with passion.
Disadvantages: Not all instruments are from the period.

...is completely different with an unexpected but delectable quartet of trumpet, recorder, oboe, and violin soloists set against the main body of strings and continuo. The third concerto is more conventional and straightforward using just three violins, three violas and three cellos with harpsichord and bass continuo. Each of the three instruments are given equal dominance and the music flows almost conversationally between rising to a boisterous bursts of energy. In the fourth concerto, recorders are heard in the distance over the stringed accompaniment. The recorders, played by brothers Christopher and Richard Taylor (famous for playing flutes with the Beatles on Fool on the Hill and Magical Mystery Tour) with clarity and precision, exude an irresistible charm and sweetness. This is often considered to be the lightest and prettiest... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, easy to listen to
Disadvantages: Won't rock your world

...This is an elegantly packaged and well presented CD which pretty much does just what it says on the box. It is a re-release from EMI's excellent and superbly engineered back catalogue, well at this price what would you expect? The English Chamber Orchestra is ably marshalled by Sir Yehudi Menuhin, who for all his genius as a solo violinist, never really achieved top-flight status as a conductor. And alongside him the flute playing from Samuel Coles is bright and suitably mellifluous. These are pieces you will know, even if you didn't know that you knew them. Their vintage puts them at the back end of the time before period instrument performances began to dominate the market in classical music. In that sense this is a refreshingly full-bodied listen, without the up-beat tempi, straight-edged strings and honking wind and brass... Read review

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Advantages: Lively, fun, recorder solos
Disadvantages: None

...other reviews) is an instrumental work that contrasts solo instruments against a larger ensemble of instruments. In this recording the solo instrument is the recorder and the larger ensemble the typical Baroque accompaniment of violin, viola, cellos and harpsichord continuo. Early Baroque concertos consisted of four movements alternating slow and fast movements. Later Baroque concertos moved to three movements (fast – slow – fast). Although Telemann composed in the late Baroque era, he retained the four-movement pattern to his concerto writing as seen in the three concertos of this CD. The recorder emerged s a solo instrument in the 17th Century. The Baroque recorder was mainly popular at the beginning of the century with a large amount of chamber music composed for it. By 1730, the flute was generally used in its place. Telemann... Read review

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