Beyond the Wall
AkMi Duo
Avie AV2641 (avie-records.com)
Beyond the Wall is exquisitely presented and performed. The CD case has a beautiful orange/pink colour scheme extending to the stylish suits worn by Akvilè Šileikaitè (piano) and Valentine Michaud (saxophone); included is a booklet of extensive liner notes outlining the background of each composition and how it fits into the album›s concept.
Beyond the Wall presents four sonatas: Paul Hindemith, Sonata Op.11 No.4 (1919); Erwin Schulhoff, Hot-Sonate (1930), Edison Denisov, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1970) and William Albright, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1984). It is both an auditory and intellectual treat to get this mini-history of 20th-century saxophone music that Šileikaitè and Michaud perform sensitively and impassioned.
The liner notes do an excellent job of discussing the tonal and cultural differences amongst these composers and works but ultimately it is the brilliant performances that stand out. I found the Albright work to be a revelation: it contains throughout a gorgeous intertwining of saxophone and piano lines; Michaud’s dramatic mastery of the saxophone, including the altissimo range, is an emotional highlight.
