Poulenc • Martinu • Boehm • Faure
Music for Flute and Piano
Boris Bizjak / Maria Canyigueral
Track details:
​
F. Poulenc: Sonata for Flute and Piano FP 164
I. Allegretto malincolico [04:30]
II. Andante con variazioni Cantilena: assez lent [04:10]
III. Presto giocoso [03:32]
B. Martinu: Sonata for Flute and Piano H. 306
​
I. Allegro moderato [06:40]
II. Adagio [07:01]
III. Allegro poco moderato [05:40]
​
G. Faure: Fantasie, Op. 79
​
I.Andantino [01:57]
II. Allegro [03:03]
​
T. Bohm: Grand Polonaise in D major, Op.16
​
I. Introduzione: Adagio maestoso [02:33]
II. Polonaise [09:34]
​
​
​
​
This recording features two beautiful sonatas from eminent 20th century composers Bohuslav Martinu and Francis Poulenc and two popular virtuoso pieces for flute by Theobald Bohm and Gabriel Faure.
The flute sonata by Francis Poulenc became one of composers best-known works and is a prominent feature in 20th-century flute repertoire. It has a claim to be the most played of any work for flute and piano. Poulenc preferred composing for woodwinds above strings. He premiered the piece with the flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal in June 1957 at the Strasbourg Music Festival. The work was an immediate success, and was quickly taken up in the US, Britain and elsewhere and has been recorded many times. Critics have noted Poulenc's characteristic "trademark bittersweet grace, wit, irony and sentiment" in the piece.
Bohuslav Martinů's Sonata for Flute and Piano, H. 306, was composed in 1945 in South Orleans, Cape Cod, during the composer's five years in the USA following his escape from occupied France. The work was composed for George Laurent who was the principal flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1918-1952. It was premiered on 18 December 1949 in New York, with Lois Scheafer as soloist. Although Martinu originally entitled the work as his 'First Sonata for Flute and Piano', no Second Sonata ever appeared.
​
​
​
​