COMPOSERS: Leclair
LABELS: ASV Gaudeamus
WORKS: Flute Sonatas, Opp. 2 & 9 (selection)
PERFORMER: Christoph Huntgeburth (flute) Mitzi Meyerson (harpsichord) Hildegard Perl (viola da gamba)
CATALOGUE NO: CD GAU 158
These sonatas were originally written for violin, though Leclair indicated they could also be played on transverse flute. He took this alternative option seriously, composing different parts for flute and violin in certain passages. If the sonatas show Leclair’s characteristic blend of Italian cantabile line and elegant French dance form, they also reveal his particular gift for melody – bright, attractive and with unexpected twists.
Barthold Kuijken recorded these sonatas for Accent in 1984, his precise touch in phrasing and rhythm lending the music a pleasingly formal air. On this new disc, Christoph Huntgeburth adopts a sunny-toned insouciance that is also appealing. Though his tempi can seem a bit cavalier, he imparts a vivacious – and efficacious – lilt to the music’s flow. Graham Lock