A Salon Opera by Flauguissimo Duo
Yu-Wei Hu (flute) & Johan Löfving (guitar)
Resonus Classics 2019
Flauguissimo Duo Website
Buy or listen via Spotify, Amazon, iTunes
“Taking its inspiration from the Viennese salon music from the first half of the nineteenth century, when the music of the concert hall and opera was routinely brought into a more domestic setting, the Duo takes us on a journey through the rich repertoire both composed and arranged for the flute and guitar.”
Flauguissimo Duo with Yu-Wei Hu (flute) & Johan Löfving (guitar) perform a debut album of period flute and guitar ensembles as well as arrangements and guitar solos. I’ve really enjoyed the recent videos by Johan Löfving which are filled with a fresh musicality that mixes elegant playing with contrasting extroverted risk. One of the things I particularly appreciate on this album is Löfving’s ability to complement the beautiful musical lines of flutist Yu-Wei Hu. The guitar is heard when needed but often provides a harmonic and rhythmic foundation and nicely stays in the role of accompanist. There are times where the guitar has its musical say, but overall I enjoyed the balance of the ensemble which sounded natural and more as it would in a concert hall. A truly musical listening experience that also provides a few virtuosic guitar solos with top notch playing. You can read the album liner notes for a significant historic overview of the repertoire.
A Salon Opera by Flauguissimo Duo offers listeners a sublime musical experience while highlighting some beautiful nineteenth century works for flute and guitar. The addition of excellent arrangements and virtuosic period guitar solos creates a very enjoyable salon programme of interest to musicians and general listeners alike. – Bradford Werner (thisisclassicalguitar.com)
Performance Instruments
- Original French Tribout guitar, 1850, anonymous, restored by James Westbrook
- Eight-keyed flute by Martin Wenner, 2011, aer August Grenser, c. 1790
Tracks
- Pagannini: Cantabile in D major, MS 109, Op. 17
- Schubert: Frühlingstraum, D.911, Op. 89 No. 11
- Schubert: An die Nachtigall, D.497, Op. 98 No. 1
- Schubert: Heidenröslein, D.257, Op. 3 No. 3
- Molino: Notturno II: I. Andante cantabile
- Molino: Notturno II: II. Rondo 2:59
- Sor: Introduction and Variations on a Theme of Mozart, Op. 9
- Gluck: Dance of the Blessed Spirits
- Mertz: Tarantelle, Op. 13 No. 6
- Giuliani: Grande Serenade, Op. 82: I. Theme & Variations
- Giuliani: Grande Serenade, Op. 82: II. Menuetto & Trio
- Giuliani: Grande Serenade, Op. 82: III. Marcia
- Giuliani: Grande Serenade, Op. 82: IV. Allegro brillante