Karl Kohn: Complete Works For Flute
Bridge, 2022
8/10
Listen to Karl Kohn: Complete Works For Flute
A very thorough 2 disc set that compiles all of Karl Kohn’s solo and chamber music for flute, Rachel Rudich provides much of the flute sounds here, and she’s accompanied by an all-star cast on guitar, piano, organ, violin and flute.
“Encounters For Flute And Piano” starts the listen with the agile flute and stirring keys working together with both grace and adventurousness, and “For Four Flutes” follows with the winds interacting with mystery and melody in a very soothing delivery.
Elsewhere on Disc A, “Romanza For Flute And Piano” flows with a very dreamy quality, while “Paronyms For Flutes And Piano” unfolds with 3 chapters of exploration that’s capable of being tense, cinematic and quite exciting.
“Ternaries For Flute And Piano” opens up the back half of the listen, and presents both turbulent and pretty textures, and “A Bar For Three” continues the creativity with violin being added to the dizzying interaction between the flute, strings and piano. “Recollections For Flute And Piano” exits the listen, where a poetic demeanor is packed with gorgeous instrumentation.
An excellent display of chamber and classical sounds, one doesn’t necessarily need to be familiar with Kohn’s work to appreciate this precise and skilled musicianship from Rudich and company.
Travels well with: Stephen Jaffe- The Music Of Stephen Jaffe, Vol. 4; George Walker- Five Piano Sonatas