Bassoonist Rodion Tolmachev wraps his brilliant musicianship and super-supple technical agility around a highly rewarding collection of nine French 20th century works, partnered with distinction by pianist Midori Kitagawa. The two-movement Nocturne-Danse by Eugène Bozza consists of a rhapsodic recitative followed by a witty character piece full of repeated-note phrases and carefree instrumental interplay. Bozza’s Récit, Sicilienne et Rondo are three vignettes that evoke Milhaud or Poulenc clowning around. Written for a competition, Roger Boutry’s 1972 Interférences I beats its chest with serious-minded, declamatory Messiaen-like chords, yet finds welcome points of respite when feathery bassoon runs take wing, accompanied by discreet low-register piano murmurs. Alin Bernaud’s Hallucinations also begins with big, serious, not-completely tonal pronouncements, yet soon settles down into more tuneful territory.
Tolmachev’s beautiful, multi-color tone nimbly adjusts to the delightful melodic twists and turns of Jean Françaix’s Two Pieces and Marcel Bitsch’s Concertino, while characterizing the third section of Pierre-Max Dubois’ Sonatine Tango with appropriate slides and snarls. I edge toward Karen Geohegan’s slightly faster tempos and more varied articulation in her Chandos recording of the three-movement Alexandre Tansman Sonatine, but that takes nothing away from Tolmachev’s spotless, arguably more forceful execution. His eloquent way with the Saint-Saëns Bassoon Sonata stands alongside other excellent recorded renditions, even though Klaus Thunemann’s haunting legato phrasing of the Molto adagio on a deleted 1991 Claves release pleases me more. As is so often the case with MDG’s solo and chamber discs, the sonics are less about vivid detailing than the realism of a small concert venue. Recommended.
