Bach – Flute Sonatas
Andrea Oliva; Angela Hewitt
Hyperion CDA67897
On this recording Andrea Oliva and Angela Hewitt make a convincing case for playing Bach’s music on contemporary instruments. Hewitt’s nuanced approach to the master’s contrapuntal writing, especially evident in the long B minor sonata’s Andante opening movement, allows for an exquisite clarity and independence of the “voices.” Flutist Oliva brings a wide range of expression, from tender pathos in the Largo e dolce second movement of the same sonata to riveting bravura excitement in both Allegro movements of the E minor sonata. He brings effortless technique and consistently incisive but not aggressive articulation to everything he plays; this was particularly evident in the Allegro second movement of the Sonata in C Major. And then there was the confident repose of his relaxed and intelligent phrasing in the opening Allegro Moderato of the E-flat major sonata, the sparing but highly expressive use of vibrato in the famous Siciliano second movement of the same sonata, the persuasive use of dynamic contrasts to delineate episodes in the first movement of the B minor sonata and the exquisite pianissimos, allowing the melodic line of the piano to come out, later in the same work.
Extraordinary as it may sound, having played all these sonatas many times, even I was surprised by the beauty of the Andante third movement of the Sonata in E Minor. There is artistry in this recording that seems to get better every time you listen to it.
