Martin, F: Ballade for Flute & Piano

Reinecke's work is a musical re-telling of the well-known story of Undine, the water spirit who marries a knight, but is betrayed and takes her revenge on him. Frank Martin's virtuosic Ballade (1939) features an acrobatic flute cadenza, roaming melismas and irrepressible cascades, generating a compelling sense of drama. In 1945, while in exile during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Martinu composed his Flute Sonata, in which the virtues of his distinct musical language are plain to hear - lyrical lines, a rhythmic drive which is both energetic and lively and an effective use of tone colour. Six years later the bird-lover Messiaen composed Le merle noir, constructed around the song of the blackbird, which he painstakingly noted down and then found the means to imitate on the flute. Poulenc's melodic Sonata, finally, has become a signature work for its composer: its lightness, transparency and sonic refinement have charmed audiences ever since the first performance.

This SACD presents main works of the repertoire for flute and piano from the 20th century. Regarding the history of the flute, this period is of particular interest since the flute underwent a remarkable revival as a solo instrument during this time.

The sonatas by Henri Dutilleux and Francis Poulenc represent the impulse for this development, which originated in France. In his series of sonatas for every melodic instrument, accompanied by piano, Paul Hindemith began with the flute. Frank Martin, the mediator between the German and French traditions, created a colourfully eloquent variant of the sonata form with his 'Ballad'. The sonata written by the American composer Robert Muczynski became the most famous example of his classicist, brilliant style.

Anne-Cathérine Heinzmann is one of the most renowned German flautists of her generation. She regularly performs as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician in Germany and across the globe. She is co-principal flute of the Opern- und Museumsorchester Frankfurt am Main; in addition, since October 2009 she has been Professor of Music at the Hochschule für Musik in Nuremberg.

Flautist Mathieu Dufour became one of the youngest players ever to hold such a position when, at the age of 25, he was appointed principal flute of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Daniel Barenboim. On this album he plays 20th century French music for flute and piano - by Poulenc, Martin, Widor, Dutilleux, Pierre Sancan, and Debussy - with the internationally renowned pianist Pascal Rogé.

After winning second prize at the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Flute Competition in 1990, third prize at the International Flute Competition in Budapest in 1991, and second prize at the International Flute Competition in Kobe, Japan, in 1997, Mathieu Dufour was appointed principal flute of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, and three years later he became the principal flute of the Paris National Opera. Since becoming principal flute with the Chicago Symphony, Mathieu Dufour has made several critically acclaimed performances as soloist at such places as the Philharmonie in Berlin, and the Salzburg Festival with the orchestra and its esteemed conductor Daniel Barenboim.