The Art of the Bassoon

 
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VIVALDI / DANZI / JACOB / DOWNEY / BAX / etc
The Art of the Bassoon
Robert Thompson (bassoon) with the London Mozart Players, the Coull Quartet & the English Chamber Orchestra

[ Heritage / 4 CD Box Set ]

Release Date: Thursday 20 August 2015

This item is currently out of stock. It may take 6 or more weeks to obtain from when you place your order as this is a specialist product.

Robert Thompson has been at the forefront of solo bassoon playing for almost 50 years. Gathered here, in a 4 CD set, are recordings of concerto and chamber works which mark important stages in the development of the bassoon. Familiar repertoire by Vivaldi and Mozart is coupled with more esoteric compositions by Jacob, Downey and Jurriaan Andriessen. The Bax Threnody and Scherzo receives its first recording with full string accompaniment.

This 4 CD set supplements Thompson's recent highly- praised performance of Panufnik's Bassoon Concerto, also on Heritage (HTGCD 266), while making a significant addition to the recorded catalogue of major works written for this often underrated instrument.

The recordings appear by kind permission of Chandos and CRD.

'One of the most significant collections of fine music written for the bassoon. Robert Thompson's artistry is rare indeed and when one consider5s the consistent quality of the music-making on these very well recorded CDs, one fully comprehends the fascination for and the musicianship it has brought forth the from this wholly exceptional musician. This set of CDs has a musical importance which goes far beyond any detailed specialist appeal, and one cannot imagine a finer set of discs to demonstrate the unique qualities of this extraordinarily expressive instrument than this eminently well presented and packaged issue.'
- Musical Opinion, July 2015

Tracks:

CD 1
ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Concerto in B Flat Major, RV 504; Concerto in A Minor, RV 498; Concerto in C Major, RV 472; Concerto in C Minor, RV 480
London Mozart Players; Harpsichord/director: Philip Ledger

CD 2
FRANZ IGNAZ DANZI (1763-1826)
Three Quartets for Bassoon and Strings, Op. 40
Members of the Coull String Quartet (Violin: Roger Coull; Viola: David Curtis; Cello: John Todd)

CD 3
GORDON JACOB (1895-1984)
Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (with optional percussion)

JOHN DOWNEY (1927-2004)
The Edge of Space: Fantasy for Bassoon and Orchestra

JURRIAAN ANDRIESSEN (1925-1996)
Concertino for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble
Wind Players of the English Chamber Orchestra; Geoffrey Simon

CD 4
ARNOLD BAX (1883-1953)
Threnody and Scherzo for Bassoon, Harp and Strings
Strings of the London Symphony Orchestra; David Amos

JOHN DOWNEY (1927-2004)
Quintet for Bassoon and Strings*
Fine Arts Quartet
(Violins: Ralph Evans and Efim Boico; Viola: Yuri Gandelsman; Cello: Wolfgang Laufer)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
Bassoon Concerto in B Flat Major, K. 191*
Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra; Steve Colburn
*LIVE PERFORMANCES