New Enchantments
Navona, 2024
8/10
The bassoonist Cornelia Sommer fleshes out 6 world premiere recordings, where magical archetypes are explored via the living composers.
“Märchenbilder”, by Robert Schumann, opens with Sommer’s agile oboe and Hilda Huang’s eloquent piano interacting with tremendous beauty across the 4 rich chapters, and Iván Enrique Rodríguez’s “Mamá María: Cuento de Hadas para Fagót y Piano” follows with a hint of mystery amid the moody wind and striking keys.
Jean-Philippe Rameau’s “Un conte de fées” arrives in the middle and welcomes baroque bassoon, and strings via Rachell Ellen Wong’s baroque violin and Jonathan Salamon’s harpsichord that complement Bethanne Walker’s animated baroque flute, while “Rumpelstilzchentanz”, by Max Grafe, presents dueling bassoons thanks to Kathleen McLean for the distinct and intriguing landscape.
The final piece and lone original, “Fantasy on Rossini’s “La Cenerentola”, pairs the poetic bassoon with Huang’s meticulous piano for an emotive and flowing exit.
An effort that touches on chamber, romantic and baroque ideas, Sommer and company present a fairy tale-esque affair that’s detailed and striking.
Travels well with: Dan Goble- Second Flight; Yoko Hirota- Small Is Beautiful