Product Reviews
The violin and horn duet is not an ensemble that has captured the imagination of many composers, and there are no standard works in the repertoire for the grouping. Violinist Elisabeth Krause and hornist John Stobart, two-thirds of the trio Cr puscule, which includes harp, invited a number of composers to write duets for them, and the results are recorded here. While the quality of the pieces vary, the violin and horn are well matched as duet partners, and blend well in terms of register, timbre, and character. In general, the more forward-looking works on the CD, which push the instruments into uncharted territory, are more successful than the pieces that use them in more conventional, linear ways. Majorcan composer Pere Pou Llompart's Kristall, based on a text by Paul Celan, beautifully evokes the textures of a delicate, crystalline world. In his six-movement suite Arlecchin' & Columbina, German composer Otfried B sing associates each of the instruments with one of the commedia dell'arte characters, and creates a dramatically and musically intriguing exchange with a sophisticated and understated use of musical humor. Hornist Stobart's F r Elisi particularly showcases the horn's virtuosic possibilities in two engaging and inventive movements that are effectively evocative of the titles Misterioso and Furioso. Krause and Stobart play with absolute technical security and with an abandon that demonstrates their passion for the music. The sound quality is clean and spacious. ~ Stephen Eddins, Rovi