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century
Italian composers. Represented are Giorgio Federico Ghedini Alessandro
Longo, Nino Rota, Franco Margola, Renato Dionisi, and Vittorio Rieti.
For Koukl, born in Prague and conservatory educated in Milan, it
is an act of homage to predecessors who influenced his own style
as a composer. The titles of the works - Ghedini's Concerto à
Cinque (Concerto in Five Parts), Longo's Scenetta Pastorale (Little
Pastoral Scene), Rota's Petite Offrande Musicale (Little Musical
Offering), Margola's Sonatina à Sei (Sonatina for Six), Dionisi's
Divertimento per Sei Strumenti (Divertimento for Six Instruments),
and Rieti's Sonata - all pay their respects to the musical traditions
of a bygone era. The basic style of these composers may be described
as neo-classical with a lot of romantic feeling and even some discrete
impressionism, as in Longo's Scenetta. Koukl, a pianist of considerable
prowess, shares the spotlight with the crack woodwind players. There
are a few minor-key moments, usually with the piano taking the lead
as in the movement marked Andante calmo ed espressivo in the Ghedini
and the Adagio doloroso in the Rieti, but basically the music heard
on this CD is charming, evocative of the open air and the countryside,
thoroughly Italian in its meeting of past and present. Lovers of
woodwind quintet music will appreciate the idiomatic writing for
their favorite instruments. These composers showcase the winds -
flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn - in settings that show
what they do best, without any tortured tonalities or straining
for bizarre effects. They remind us that music does not need to
induce dogs to howl or babies to cry in order to be authentically
20th century 
father.
Independent of paternal fealty, the general standard of the music
presented on this new release by Greek guitarist Eva Fampas more
than justifies her undertaking.Recorded
programmes dedicated entirely to one modern composer for the guitar
often encounter difficulties with " too much of more of the
same". The eclectic nature of these original compositions by
Dimitri Fampas ranges from Greek dances, melodic concert studies
for guitar to a suite in the "Old Style" which has a baroque
flavour.Fampas
(1921-1996) was Greece’s most celebrated classical guitarist.
He studied guitar initially with Nicholas Ioannou; also theory of
music with Th. Vavayiannis and counterpoint with K. Kydoniatis at
the Athens Conservatory. In 1955-56 he received a scholarship to
study guitar with Andrès Segovia and musicology with Emilio
Pujol at the Academia Chigianna in Sienna, Italy. In 1959 he studied
once more with Segovia at the Academy of Santiago, Spain. Fampas’s
performing career spanned almost four decades during which he gave
hundreds of recitals worldwide. He taught at the National Conservatory
of Athens where he created a world famous guitar school.Simultaneous
with performing and teaching Fampas composed over 200 solos, concert
studies, melodies and dances enriching the guitar repertory with
the very essence of Greek music.Any
guitarist who commenced their study of the instrument playing a
transcription of "Lime Light" by Charlie Chaplin gets
a strong vote from this writer. In this instance the guitarist was
Eva Fampas and the transcription by her father Dimitri. Ms. Fampas
is no stranger to classical guitar circles, with a career as a performing
concert artist spanning almost two decades. She has studied with
eminent professors such as composer Dimitri Dragatakis and composer-maestros
Theodore Antoniou and Leo Brouwer.Included
in the numerous awards and distinctions to her credit is first prize
in the 16th International Guitar competition of the Guitar Academy
of Milan. Eva teaches classical guitar at the National Conservatory
of Athens and at various institutions worldwide.On
the review disc the programme’s predominant flavour is that
of Greek folk music with its intriguing rhythms; however in some
compositions the sounds of Spain lingers like perfume from a Granada
flower garden on a summer’s eve. The Concert Study No.8 (Tr.
4) is structurally traditional but nonetheless very enjoyable listening
and with obvious didactic virtues. "Suite in an Old Style"
provides a strong balance to the programme. This composition comprises
six short movements and the quality is such that it could be a pastiche
attributable to almost any eminent baroque composer for lute/vihuelaEva
Fampas is very much ‘at home’ with music of her motherland;
this empathy is further enhanced by all original compositions from
the pen of her father.The
key strength of this recording is its programme: relatively unknown
works, well written and well played. If there is an Achilles’
heel in the playing it is in the execution of tremolo in Concert
Study No. 23 (Tr. 12). 
storming
concert halls to see him and his young wife Anne Marie perform live
together. Floraleda Sacchi is one of these up and coming harpists
and her rise should put Krumpholtz where he belongs: Back in the
spotlight.And
secondly, his music combines catchiness, ingenuity and masterly
compositional craft in such a way that it should seem impossible
for it to remain anonymous for too long. In fact, we wouldn’t
be overly surprised if the Amadeus Duo (consisting of Floraleda
and Claudio Ferrarini) should kickstart his renaissance right away.
Simply put, this disc, comprising his Sonatas for Flute and Harp,
is an eye- and ear-opener and positions Krumpholtz as the Vivaldi
of the Harp: Loved by the public, revered by musicians and acclaimed
by critics. His vivid, lively, spontaneous pieces full of energy
and well-dosed melancholy woefulness merrit this comparison in every
second and the Amadeus Duo add to this a dreamy sense of elevation.
Their dense, deep and dynamic interpretation seems to stem not only
from the score, but from an intuitive understanding of its spirit.
Which only gains in importance, as time moves on and Krumpholtz’
pieces become more complex – you could compare this development
with the early and progressive years of the Beatles: Sonatas No.
4-6 are still melodic and emotional, but yet less naive and more
experimental: The opening movements of the last two Sonatas take
8 minutes and his last work consists of only two, instead of the
usual three parts.It
would be easy, but probably wrong to put this down to Krumpholtz’
personal history: In 1788, his whife leaves him for extrovert piano
virtuoso J.L. Dussek. When pain becomes unbarable, it needs release.
The Beatles solved the problem by splitting up. Krumpholtz couln’t
split up – he drowned himself in the Seine. For 200 years,
his compositions remained buried under the waves, as an insider
tip and food for experts. With this disc, he may truly live again.
Expect to hear more from him soon.