Christopher Rouse - Symphony No. 2; Flute Concerto (Alan Gilbert; Sharon Bezaly)

Information

Composer: Christopher Rouse

• (01) Flute Concerto
• (06) Symphony No. 2
• (09) Rapture

Sharon Bezaly, flute
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Alan Gilbert, conductor

Date: 2009
Label: BIS Records
https://bis.se/conductors/gilbert-alan/christopher-rouse-orchestral-music-ii

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 10

All of this music has been recorded before, but not so frequently as to make new versions redundant. BIS has released the Flute Concerto separately in a disc sensibly devoted to modern flute concertos. It's a very major work, more immediately appealing and just as emotionally gripping as the grittier Second Symphony. Christopher Rouse, for all of his roots in, and occasional glances toward, American pop music, is a very serious, sometimes genuinely anguished composer, even in a supposedly more "relaxed" piece such as Rapture. His direct emotionalism and intensity seldom let up, a fact that really good performances such as these never allow us to forget. As in the first volume in this series, Alan Gilbert and his Stockholm Orchestra sound quite comfortable in what must have been very unfamiliar musical territory, and Sharon Bezaly in the concerto is unbeatable. With excellent sonics, this second volume in BIS's very worthy ongoing series is just as recommendable as the first.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/rouse-c-symphony-no-2-flute-concerto-rapture
http://www.classical-music.com/review/alan-gilbert-conducts-christopher-rouse
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/Feb10/Rouse_Gilbert_biscd1586.htm
https://www.allmusic.com/album/christopher-rouse-flute-concerto-symphony-no-2-rapture-mw0001876551

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Christopher Rouse (February 15, 1949 – September 21, 2019) was an American neoromantic composer. Rouse studied with Richard Hoffmann at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1971. He later completed graduate degrees under Karel Husa at Cornell University in 1977. In between, Rouse studied privately with George Crumb. Though he has written for various ensembles, Rouse was primarily known for his orchestral compositions, including a Requiem, eleven concertos, and four symphonies. He was the composer-in-residence for the New York Philharmonic from 2012 to 2015.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Rouse_(composer)
http://www.christopherrouse.com/

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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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Alan Gilbert (born February 23, 1967) is an American conductor and violinist. Gilbert was born in New York City, USA, and is the son of two now retired New York Philharmonic violinists. As a youth, he learned the violin, viola, and piano. Gilbert studied music at Harvard University, New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute and Juilliard School. He was music director of the Santa Fe Opera (2003-07) and the New York Philharmonic (2009-17), principal conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra (2000-08), and is currently principal conductor of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Gilbert_(conductor)
http://alangilbert.com/

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