Ulrich Koella – French Chamber Music (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Ulrich Koella. Professor of chamber music at the Zurich University of the Arts, together with Sarah Rumer (principal flutist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande) and Joel Marosi (principal cellist of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne), has made a recording of chamber music works by Jean Françaix and Francis Poulenc. Françaix is known to be a piano virtuoso, but he devoted his creative energy mainly to his compositional activity. His works are original, witty, rhythmically complex and the harmonies are relatively simple.

After the First World War, Francis Poulenc joined a group of young composers around Erik Satie and the writer Jean Cocteau, called Les Six, whose members rejected Impressionism in favour of greater simplicity and clarity. Some of the style of the Six found its way into Poulenc’s own musical work. He adopted Dadaist techniques and was influenced by popular melodies. A charming vulgarity seemed more important to him than the supposedly deep feeling of romanticism. He was an outstanding pianist, and the influence of piano music is clearly audible in Poulenc’s early works and also in the compositions recorded here. Common to all the works on the album is a joy of playing and unadulterated cheerfulness, which makes one think of carefree summer stays in Brittany or Normandy. In short: the perfect soundtrack for the holidays, not only for the holidays of M. Hulot…

Tracklist:
1. Sarah Rumer – Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano: I. Allegro (04:23)
2. Sarah Rumer – Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano: II. Teneramente (04:32)
3. Sarah Rumer – Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano: III. Scherzando (05:20)
4. Sarah Rumer – Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano: IV. Transition. Andante (05:01)
5. Sarah Ruhmer – Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164: I. Allegro malinconico (04:46)
6. Sarah Rumer – Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164: II. Cantilena (04:07)
7. Sarah Rumer – Sonata for Flute and Piano, FP 164: III. Presto giacoso (03:42)
8. Joel Marosi – Berceuse for Cello and Piano (03:52)
9. Joel Marosi – Nocturne for Cello and Piano (03:28)
10. Sarah Rumer – Divertimento for Flute and Piano: I. Toccatina (01:11)
11. Sarah Rumer – Divertimento for Flute and Piano: II. Notturno (02:05)
12. Sarah Rumer – Divertimento for Flute and Piano: III. Perpetuum mobile (01:01)
13. Sarah Rumer – Divertimento for Flute and Piano: IV. Romanza (03:09)
14. Sarah Rumer – Divertimento for Flute and Piano: V. Finale (03:25)
15. Joel Marosi – Sonata for Cello and Piano, FP 143: I. Allegro – Tempo di Marcia (06:20)
16. Joel Marosi – Sonata for Cello and Piano, FP 143: II. Cavatine (06:49)
17. Joel Marosi – Sonata for Cello and Piano, FP 143: III. Ballabile (03:42)
18. Joel Marosi – Sonata for Cello and Piano, FP 143: IV. Finale (07:20)