Over the past weekend, Delos artist Joshua Smith performed a world premiere as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra. The piece was Flute en suite by the orchestra’s Young Composer Fellow, Jörg Widmann. From the reviews, it seems that it was quite the success!
By Zachary Lewis
“Flute en suite” isn’t easy listening, but it isn’t Widmann’s prickliest creation, either. In between numerous shrill, abrasive moments lie all kinds of spine-tingling woodwind sonorities, extended hypnotic spells, and faint echoes from the 18th century. There’s even humor, in the form of a crazed riff on Bach.
Largely responsible for the work’s favorable first impression is Smith, whose dashing performance Thursday transcended the work’s considerable difficulty and held listeners on the edge of their seats.
By Suzanne Torrey
I am not a fan of ultra-modern music; I am a fan of Joshua Smith, the principal flutist of the Cleveland Orchestra, so I was eager to hear this new suite written especially for him. Mr. Smith had little time to prepare, as the piece arrived, movement by movement, only completed a few weeks ago, but he played with self-assurance and brio. Each of the self-styled dances in the suite afforded the solo flute a different coloration and featured a different instrumental group from the orchestra.
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J.S. Bach Flute Sonatas | J.S. Bach Flute Sonatas With Continuo | ||