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Margaret Cornils, flute
Sharon Jenson, piano
Weill Recital Hall at
Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 26, 2010
A packed Weill
Recital Hall greeted flutist Margaret Cornils for this recital,
which was sponsored by MidAmerica Productions. The first half
was made up of three of the most popular pieces in the flute
repertoire: Bach’s B Minor Sonata, Debussy’s Syrinx, and
Poulenc’s Sonata. Some of Bach’s flute sonatas were written for
flute and basso continuo (a keyboard instrument, whose left hand
is doubled by a bass instrument such as a cello, and whose right
hand improvises chords stipulated by the composer.) The B Minor
Sonata, however, is written for flute and an obbligato (fully
written-out) keyboard – without cello. Although cellist Kevin
Price blended well with the other fine performers, his part was
superfluous.
Due to its
quasi-improvisatory character, Syrinx is a different piece for
each flutist. Cornils’ rendition was somewhat matter of fact,
but nevertheless effective. The Poulenc Sonata was the most
satisfying offering on the first half. Her phrasing in the
opening of the Cantilena was pure perfection, and the last
movement (presto giocoso) displayed an impressive third-octave
technique and clear double-tonguing.
The second
half of the program was as unknown as the first half was
familiar. It opened with Gary Schocker’s Musique Francais,
written in 1997. This is a pleasant, skillfully written
composition, with several tips of the hat to Poulenc. The third
movement is a virtuoso’s tour de force in which Cornils again
showed her fine technique. The next piece, Pandean Fable by
Clifton Williams, effectively displayed the haunting tone color
of the bass flute.
The recital
concluded with Paul Agricole Genin’s arrangement of Carnival of
Venice. A surprisingly interesting, beautiful and rather lengthy
introduction preceded the familiar trite tune. Once the
introduction was over, the virtuosic variations which followed
exploited all the tricks up the flutist’s sleeve. Cornils was up
to the challenge and the audience rewarded her with a standing
ovation.
Sharon Jenson
was the excellent pianist.
-Barrett Cobb
for New York
Concert Review; New York, NY
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