Customer Reviews

Oboe Obsession

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The works presented on this disc constitute some of the cornerstones of oboe/piano literature. Allan Vogel's performance is very warm and insightful. His pianist, Bryan Pezzone, performs no less sensitively. The recording is also rich and warm. These works are all a delight to listen to. The Saint-Saens and Poulenc sonatas express both the charm and wit of these two great French composers. The Britten is the most important work for solo oboe. The Schumann Romances are another masterpiece for oboe and piano. A must for any oboist or music lover! The closing piece, Obsession by Japanese composer Makoto Shinohara is very powerful. A gem.

Gallant little Delos has been releasing some marvelous oboe recitals with Allan Vogel, and the latest entry has not let us down at all. <Oboe Obsession: Allan Vogel plays Romantic and Virtuosic Works for Oboe> (DE3235) provides us with some rare items including Saint-Saens' "Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Op. 166," Poulenc's "Sonata for Oboe and Piano," Britten's "Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for Oboe Solo," Schumann's "Three Romances for Oboe and Piano," W.F. Bach's "Duet for Flute and Oboe, No. 4" [in which he is joined by Janice Tipton], and Shinohara's "Obsession for Oboe and Piano." Bryan Pezzone is at the keyboard.

Never having heard any of these before, I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed, liquid playing of the first, second, third, and fourth selections. The Britten piece took some careful listening, being of a more intellectual nature so to speak, and was even more rewarding. My tastes being what they are, I did not like the last piece very much, finding it noisy and grating; and I was glad it came at the end of the CD and could easily be avoided on future playings. Naturally many of you might find this 1961 selection the best of the lot. The liner notes are terse and helpful.

As others have detailed, this is vast and far ranging oboe performance from the likes of Saint-Saens, Poulenc, Schumann and Bach.

I have reviewed oboe pieces from these composers, and found Vogel's performance to be quite worthy of five stars.

However, the pieces by Britten and Shinohara are new for me and outstanding! These are flowing and satiny with a high gloss finish which is very delightful to the ears with the melodic, romantic sound that is so unique and pleasing to oboe lovers such as this reviewer. Vogel and his accompanists are to be commended for producing such a high-quality, wide ranging disc of one of the truly great soloist instruments.

CDs like this often don't quite work, because there seems to be either not enough contrast when there is some, or some of the pieces are simply not enjoyable. Luckily this CD garners no complaints to my ears, and there's a very nice variety as well, all played wonderfully by Allan Vogel.

Saint-Saens is a composer who was almost always "on", and the Oboe Sonata is no exception. Though written at the end of his life (along with the Clarinet Sonata), it could just have easily come 30 years earlier. It's a very nice late romantic piece, if not quite as tuneful as the Clarinet one.
The Poulenc sonata is a very lovely piece of French post-impressionism, akin to his choral music really. The Britten piece is typical Britten -- hovering around "modern" sound without quite going there.

The Schumann Three romances are also typical of the composer -- nice but not overly memorable. Still it's a pleasing piece. Now the W. F. Bach piece was a surprise -- the flute and oboe get equal treatment here, and as with the Schumann it's very pleasing.

The final piece is the only one that may dissuade someone from picking this CD up -- the Obsession for Oboe and Piano is quite "modern", though luckily it's still a very interesting piece. A clear show of virtuosity, it has energy and vigor, and is certainly one of the better examples of this style that I've heard.

So, I can safely recommend this. Even if you don't like Obsession, it IS at the end. This CD is a good buy for anyone who likes solo wind music, especially if you don't have a recording of the Saint-Saens.

This CD has been an inspiration throughout my career as an oboist and I'm sure many others. Allan Vogel is most "international" amongst oboists, having studied in France, Germany and the USA. His playing is absolutely stellar throughout the entire disc, a must have for any fan of the instrument. The CD leaves you with a real impression of the instrument and vogel shows us all what we never thought was even possible out of the instrument. His personality and one of a kind soul ring out through every piece recorded here, absolutely legendary performer and personality. One of the greatest oboe CDs of all time. His finest recording happens to be a CD entitled "Bach's Circle" if you are a fan of oboe obsession!

As an serious amateur oboist, I am always on the lookout for examples of fine playing to emulate. This recording I would place at the very top of this list. Allan Vogel's oboe sound is absolutely gorgeous -- flute-like in places, never nasal, with a brilliant nuanced vibrato. His interpretations of the Saint-Saens and Poulenc sonatas and the Schumann are filled with a subtlety of phrasing and dynamics that is rare even among the greatest players. The same can be said of the rest of this CD. I found myself listening to this disc over and over, savoring new delights each time.
Myron Ginsberg, Miami