César Franck; Gabriel Fauré; Sergei Prokofiev - Flute Sonatas (Sharon Bezaly; Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Information

Composer: César Franck; Gabriel Fauré; Sergei Prokofiev

• (01) Franck - Violin Sonata in A major (arr. J. P. Rampal)
• (05) Fauré - Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13 (arr. S. Bezaly)
• (09) Prokofiev - Flute Sonata in D major, Op. 94

Sharon Bezaly, flute
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano

Date: 2017
Label: BIS
http://bis.se/performers/bezaly-sharon/bezaly-ashkenazy-sonatas

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Review

Instrumental soloists have long coveted sonatas and concertos for other instruments. Flautist Sharon Bezaly’s new disc contains three sonatas, two of which have been purloined from the violin repertoire. César Franck’s Violin Sonata was transcribed by the great French flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, while Bezaly herself is responsible for the arrangement of Gabriel Fauré’s A major Sonata. The third sonata on the disc – by Prokofiev – was originally for flute but is now arguably better known in the composer’s own violin incarnation, prepared with the help of David Oistrakh.

I’m not completely convinced that either the Franck or the Fauré works in transcription. Rampal’s arrangement of Franck’s score has to raise many phrases an octave because the flute cannot plumb to a G, while double-stopped notes cannot be replicated, minimising impact. Balance problems are created in both because, at fortissimo, the flute just cannot dominate the piano the same way a solo violin can. Bezaly’s pianist is none other than Vladimir Ashkenazy, who is ever sensitive but is noticeably placed towards the background to disguise the mismatch.

Bezaly’s playing is attractive, strong in alt, with quicksilver precision and a fabulous trill to close the second movement of the Franck Sonata. Her dusky tone and pastel colours suit the beautiful Allegretto poco mosso finale, although some of the movement’s bittersweet quality is lost on the flute. I prefer her recording to James Galway’s, though, who forces his tone and applies ungainly vibrato. In the Fauré, the inner movements work best, with the flowing 9/8 Andante most persuasive while the cheeky avian quality of the flute brings off the Allegro vivo movement delightfully, with tongued pizzicato and key-slap effects.

The Prokofiev sonata – unsurprisingly – comes off best. Bezaly displays precise staccato and nails top notes, her upwards chromatic runs in the boisterous Scherzo joyously vaulted. Her tone isn’t as lustrous as Emmanuel Pahud’s but she captures the sincerity of the Andante just as well. The high-spirited finale is suitably exuberant.

-- Mark Pullinger, Gramophone

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César Franck (10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life. As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation. Franck is considered by many the greatest composer of organ music after Bach. Franck exerted a significant influence on music. He helped to renew and reinvigorate chamber music and developed the use of cyclic form. He became professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1872, his pupils included Vincent d'Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne, Charles Tournemire, Guillaume Lekeu and Henri Duparc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9sar_Franck

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Gabriel Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his best-known works are his Pavane, Requiem, nocturnes for piano and the songs "Après un rêve" and "Clair de lune". Fauré composed many of his most highly regarded works in his later years, in a more harmonically and melodically complex style. His music has been described as linking the end of Romanticism with 20th century modernism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Faur%C3%A9

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Sergei Prokofiev (23 April, 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor. As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous genres, he was one of the major composers of the 20th century. Prokofiev wrote seven completed operas, seven symphonies, eight ballets, five piano concertos, two violin concertos, a cello concerto, a symphony-concerto for cello and orchestra, and nine completed piano sonatas, many of which are widely known and heard. He also enjoyed personal and artistic support from a new generation of Russian performers, notably Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev

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Sharon Bezaly (born 1972) is a flutist. Bezaly was born in Israel, but lives presently in Sweden. She has been an international star since 1997, when she began her solo flute career. She made her solo debut at 13 with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic, and has appeared with leading symphony and chamber orchestras in Japan, China, Israel, Central and Western Europe, England, North and South America, Australia and Scandinavia. Her flute was made by Muramatsu Flutes out of 24-karat gold. Bezaly has released 24 award-winning CDs with the Swedish record company BIS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Bezaly
http://sharonbezaly.se/

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Vladimir Ashkenazy (born July 6, 1937) is a Russian-born internationally recognized solo pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor of Icelandic and Swiss citizenship. He studied with Lev Oborin and Boris Zemliansky at the Moscow Conservatory, and won 2nd prize in the 1955 Chopin competition. Ashkenazy has recorded a wide range of piano repertoire, both solo works and concerti. His recordings have earned him five Grammy awards plus Iceland's Order of the Falcon. Midway through his pianistic career, Ashkenazy branched into conducting and steadily increased his activity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Ashkenazy

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