4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Celebration of Winds, July 1, 2005
This review is from: The Devil's Dictionary (Audio CD)
I bought this recording specifically for the Ligeti "Six Bagatelles," which I had just heard performed at a concert in St. Louis, but had not known before. The piece is instantly charming--a lively and comical exploration of many tricks and scamps of the wind instruments. The live performance had been a delight, but the Aeolian Winds equal or surpass its charm and brilliance. This terrific piece opens the disc, to be followed by the much more familiar (and beautiful) Carl Nielsen "Wind Quintet Op. 43," played here with a range of emotion and sensitivity that is captivating. Four movements from Gary Kulesha's "Devil's Dictionary" suite and Jean Francaix's "Wind Quintet #1" complete the splendid program on this disc. The instrumentalists perform with perfect control and musical sense, evoking all the beauty, humor, and wit of these fine works. The booklet features a detail from "The Peasant Wedding" by Pieter Breughel the Younger; it is appropriate, suggesting the liveliness, earthiness, and dancing energy of the music. Although this is not a new release, it is new to me and one of the most gratefully received CDs in my recent experience. I recommend it enthusiastically.
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