Kalliwoda: Morceau de Salon for oboe & piano, Op. 228

Principal oboist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and winner of the Echo Classic Young Upcoming Artist of the Year, oboist Ramon Ortega Quero here performs a selection of his favourite romantic works for oboe.

Eric Speller’s passion for the oboe has led him to explore much less well known repertoire, so much so that some of these works are unpublished. He writes “The beautifully melodious and highly delicate phrases of the romances of Clara Schumann are matched with flair by the very contrasting variations of Kaiiliwoda.” Eric Speller is an all-round musician, dividing his time between the orchestra, chamber music, teaching and early instruments.

This new disc from Profil features a selection of works for oboe and piano by a range of composers from William Alwyn to Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda, beautifully performed by Japanese oboist Katsuya Watanabe.

Watanabe has held various posts at the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. He regularly devotes himself to solo activities, giving frequent recitals and performing in concerts with the Philharmonic Orchestras in Bratislava and Zagreb, the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo and other ensembles.

Evolution of the oboe from primitive folk instruments (hichiriki, dulzaina, zurna, bombarde, shawm) to the sophisticated oboe of today with music by Marais, C.P.E. Bach, Kalliwoda, Walmisley, Pasculli & folk pieces from Spain, Japan, Turkey, France and England.