Saint-Saëns: Airs de ballet d'Ascanio: Adagio & Variations

A bright new talent in the classical world, the flautist Lisa Friend presents a new disc of romantic works, accompanied by piano, cello and violin. Lisa’s compositions and performances have drawn great praise from both professional musicians and concert-goers alike. Also featured on disc, performing with Lisa, is her father Rodney Friend, one of the most respected and celebrated English-born violinists of the last 45 years. Lisa Friend started playing the flute aged five. At 16 she studied in New York with flautist Renee Siebert of the New York Philharmonic. She was then awarded a flute Scholarship to study with Julius Baker in Connecticut. At 17 Lisa won a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music. Twice winner of the Martin Music Scholarship this enabled her to study at the Paris Conservatoire with Alain Marion and Ida Ribera. As soloist, Lisa has appeared with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic, Liverpool Philharmonic and toured throughout the UK, France, Germany, Japan, China and the USA. Other solo appearances include BBC ChildLine, a concert for Royal Family at Buckingham Palace as soloist with the late Yehudi Menuhin, the Britten theatre with the late Sir George Solti and for Steven Spielberg after writing and performing a track for his foundation SHOAH. Lisa has given live recitals for Classic FM and Radio 3. Live television has included Brandenburg 5th Concerto in Spain with her father.

“Great British Hope,” Kathryn Thomas presents a beautiful collection of flute music by Gabriel Faure and his contemporaries.

With the support of the composers Franck, Massenet, Fauré, Duparc and Saint-Saëns, the Société Nationale de Musique was set up in February 1871 to promote its distinctive symphonic and chamber music concerts. This disc presents a selection of music that featured in these concerts, many of which were premiered by France’s leading flautist at the time, Paul Taffanel. Thanks to Taffanel, a tradition of commissioning works especially for these concours began to emerge. At first the commissions were just for the flute competition but very soon, under Taffanel’s influence, new works began to be commissioned for all the wind and brass instruments.