Air

Description

EDITORIAL REVIEWS No Description Available. Genre: Classical Music Media Format: Compact Disk Rating: Release Date: 28-OCT-2008 AMAZON.COM This is the latest CD featuring Yolanda Kondonassis, probably the world's most famous and recorded harpist. She is joined by Joshua Smith on flutes and Cynthia Phelps on viola, along with the chamber orchestra, Oberlin 21. All play like virtuosi. Most of Kondonassis' other albums are more "popular," i.e: gentle music, vaguely new age; a CD of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons transcribed for harp; Christmas Music, etc., but this one, presenting music by Takemitsu and Debussy, is firmly in the serious-chamber-music world. Both composers are "Impressionists," and here they are taken with the coloristic facets of water, air and wind; all of the music on this CD is somehow involved with just such moods. Ms Kondonassis' range of dynamics and shading make this music come to life. Joshua Smith's flute playing is varied, accurate and flavorful and Cynthia Phelps' viola adds warmth. Debussy's Danses sacrée et profane for harp and strings are just that – dances, with good, decorative tunes. In Takemitsu's Air for solo flute, there's no sound save for that of the flute and the air required to play it – it is pure Asian-Western sound, with no "program." The two composers complement each other; where Takemitsu can be somewhat ascetic, Debussy takes off lyrically, but they both aim towards similar ends and get there. The recording is warm and intimate. -- Robert Levine