Zdenĕk Bruderhans is an exceptionally gifted flautist, a master of the circular breathing technique. On this disc he is accompanied by pupils and former pupils of his in Australia, together with his pianist wife Eva Bruderhansova. They present a delightful programme of miniatures from across the centuries and include two very interesting contemporary works from Czech composers Petr Eben and Jan Klusák. The flute is such a life-enhancing instrument with an almost magical sound which can often sound other-worldly.
 
The first work is an unusual concerto written for five flutes without bass. Boismortier is credited with the first use by a French composer of the Italian word “concerto” for this very piece. Antonin Rejcha is the acknowledged creator of the wind quintet and a great teacher of, among others, Liszt, Berlioz and Cesar Franck as well as no less than eight professors of the Paris Conservatoire. His Three Romances for Two Flutes are lovely examples of his work. Telemann, of course, needs no introduction and his Sonata for Two Flutes shows his inventive, highly original composing talents to the full. His frequent changes of voices explains the equal status he gives to each instrument. Petr Eben’s Sonata for Flute and Marimbaphone is a beautiful work and the marimbaphone is a perfect foil for the flute; each instrument has such mellifluous sounds. The two short works of Jan Klusák, played back to back, to present a contrast between the speeds of each piece are extremely inventive. The sequence of numbers in the title of the first piece represents the number of semitones of each respective interval. All the other works are great examples of the flute’s virtuosity. The final one, by Paganini employs Bruderhans’ circular breathing technique that he learned from Antonin Mach who developed it having learned it in turn from glassblowers. In this piece Bruderhans manages without taking any obvious breaths!
 
This is a joyous disc and Arbitrium Records are to be congratulated for giving the public the chance to hear what the flute can achieve and for allowing us to hear some less well known repertoire.
 
Steve Arloff
 

 

 

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