Damase/ Wilson/ BBC Concert Orchestra - 20th Century French Flute Concertos

The four works gathered here belong to what could be described as the secret garden of twentieth-century French music. They remind one that, next to the handful of composers of the post-Debussy-Fauré generation that have found a secure place in posterity, such as Maurice Ravel, Albert Roussel, Francis Poulenc, and Olivier Messiaen, there were many others whose names may be less familiar, but who have also made outstanding contributions to the music of their time. Written over fewer than fifty years, the four works also testify to the pioneering role played by twentieth-century French musicians in reviving and promoting the flute as a solo instrument. Ransom Wilson, flutist and conductor has performed in concert with major orchestras the world over. As a flutist, he has recently launched an ongoing series of solo recordings on the Nimbus label in Europe. Conductor Perry So most recently made his European operatic debut at the Royal Danish Opera in Mozart's Die Zauberflote. He is known for his wide-ranging programming, including numerous world premieres on four continents and works from the Renaissance and the Baoque.