Saint-Saëns: Bassoon Sonata in G major, Op. 168

This historical testimony demonstrates that Saint-Saëns is the origin of the worldwide famous “French winds tradition”. In his twilight years and aged eighty five, Saint-Saëns came back to wind sonatas. Although being very classical, the three 1921 sonatas announce the “Groupe des Six” neo-classicism, and particularly Poulenc. In that respect, even at the very end of his life, Saint-Saëns remained an innovator.

This is Rodion Tolmachov’s debut CD. At the age of only twenty two, he became the principal bassoonist at the famous Marinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. His playing is distinguished by expressive tonal nuancing and breathtaking virtuosity. He has chosen a varied programme including works by Bozza, Bitsch, Boutry, Dubois, Francaix, Bernaud and Saint-Saëns.

The programme on this new recording spans nearly 400 years, and brilliantly showcases the many colours and moods that the bassoon is ideally suited to creating. The music ranges from the early Baroque sonata of Böddecker, dating from 1651, through to Saint-Saëns’s witty, elegant late sonata (1921) and Hagen’s remarkable Harlem Nocturne from 1939, featuring the innovative and brilliant combination of Hammond organ, drums, guitar and bassoon! Gubaidulina’s Duo Sonata of 1977, Piazolla’s Café 1930 and Dubois’s Sonatine Tango of 1984 provide dazzling and contrasting 20th century flavours, as does the splendid Trio for flute, bassoon and piano by Chick Corea, which appeared on his 1970s album Inner Space. This album is an audio kaleidoscope of sound, colour and moods, a tribute to the bassoon’s versatility.

Celebrated as one of the most successful and gifted composers of his day, Saint-Saëns wrote music for woodwind instruments throughout his long career. This recording presents music from his early days as the ‘bright young thing’ on the Parisian music scene to the last year of his life.

Canada’s renowned National Arts Centre Wind Quintet joins Stéphane Lemelin, a laureate of the Robert Casadesus International Competition, to interpret these assured and beautiful works which combine virtuosity, gentle wit and thoroughly French charm.

In a century mostly inspired by German romantic orchestral pieces, Saint-Saëns considered wind instruments as on the same level as violin and piano. He is the origin of the French Wind tradition and in the evening of his life, aged 85, came back to composing sonatas turning to wind instruments with enthusiasm.

Bassoonist extraordinaire Judith Leclair, principal of the New York Philharmonic, revels in the virtuosity of chamber works featuring her instrument.

The bassoon captured a remarkable degree of attention when it became one of the highlights of BBC 2’s Classical Star, thrusting the instrument into a rare solo spotlight. America’s leading lady of the bassoon, New York Philharmonic principal Judith Leclair, steps into the limelight with an awe-inspiring performance of virtuoso chamber works featuring her instrument’s distinctive qualities. Joined by two acclaimed American colleagues – Pittsburgh Symphony principal harpist Gretchen Van Hoesen, and eminent chamber pianist Jonathan Feldman – Judith offers a programme of late 19th- and 20th-century works linked by French origins or traditions. Undoubtedly an important document for bassoonists, this is also a disc full of discoveries. From Roger Boutry’s modernist Interférences I and the Chopin-esque Andante and bravura Polonaise by the relatively obscure German bassoonist Ludvig Milde, to Bernard Andrès’ nostalgic Chants D’arriere-Saison (“Songs of a Season Past”), Camille Saint-Saëns’ magical Sonata and Reinhold Glière’s irresistible encore Humoresque¸ Judith Leclair and friends are sure to keep the bassoon to the fore.