Customer Reviews

Telemann: Concertos for Flute

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

 

 

In this album, Jean-Pierre Rampal, one of the greatest of floutists (who died not long ago), plays four Telemann (1681-1767) pieces. Telemann was quite prolific, producing over 6000 works! In his time his reputation exceeded those of his friends J. S. Bach and Handel. While producing Baroque, Telemann "assisted in developing the 'style galant' where melody and simpler textures predominated" according to the booklet accompanying this CD. It also includes a short biography of Telemann by Alan B. von Radbarrif in English, German, and French. I'm a fan of Rampal, Telemann, flutes & violins (all 4 pieces have flute & strings), and Baroque. So, I enjoy this lovely album which highlights Rampal's considerable virtuosity. On the other hand, it's a bit short (under 50 minutes of play); still the sound is rich, lush, and beautiful. The album is nice to just listen to and relax though most of it is not IMHO quiet enough for meditation.

Especially if one has had the sublime pleasure of attending a Rampal concert in acoustically challenged Fischer Hall at New York's Lincoln Center one had to be awed by the complete apotheosis of fluting as displayed by the master. Even in this acoustically challenged hall, M. Rampal's playing moved every cubic foot of air like a zephyr. The Haynes flute seemed to vibrate as he reached for mercurial highs and a full lower register that mirrored the chalumeau scale of a clarinet.

As to interpretation, style, mercurial swiftness, there could never be criticism. On top of this, M. Rampal's stage presence filled the audience with joy. An artist who derived great pleasure from his work, he moved on with a jaunty step reminiscent of Figaro from Mozart's opera. The perfect practitioner of his instrument and art form. And the fact that he would complete his program and then regale the audience with perhaps six or seven encores as the spirit of the hall reached a crescendo that might last forever.

The singular flutist in my lifetime who made the flute a major league instrument, yes, but also a transcendent performer who made his audience feel that they had bonded after his display of fireworks and could fantasize that they would join him later in one of his equally historic meals of three lobsters ordered for two.

I would hope that someday his complete repertoire in digital perfection would be released. This is Library of Congress stuff.

Spero Katsivelos
New York, NY