Duruflé: Prélude, Récitatif et Variations for flute, viola & piano, Op. 3

The London Conchord Ensemble are joined on this disc by the baritone William Dazeley,

presenting a seductive collection of fascinating chamber works and songs written by three major 20th Century French chamber music composers.

Sensual and intimate, these works epitomise the music of early 20th-century France, with their fluid lines and unusual textures, sensitively captured here by Conchord. Though born in Berlin, Charles Loeffler claimed to hail from Alsace, so strongly did he identify with the French aesthetic. His Five Songs set poetry by French poets Baudelaire and Verlaine, and his musical style recalls Franck, Chausson and Debussy. Add to this a Russian sense of instrumental colour, and the result is a fascinating concoction of expressive and evocative musical elements.

Pierné's Sonata Da Camera is reminiscent of Debussy's seminal Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp in its poignant colours and intricate textures, while Duruflé's Prélude Recitatif et Variations reveals a different style from that of his famous Requiem in writing that recalls Ravel.

Throughout this disc, Conchord plays with an effortless grace and flair, a finesse that perfectly communicates this exquisite selection of music.

“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.