$17.40

Claire Guimond
1995, Analekta, FL2 8053

Admired unconditionally by Quantz, who held these Fantasies to be exemplary, surpasing even the works of many of the great virtuoso flutists of the time, Telemann has handed down to us one of the most inventive, musically original pages in the entire flute repertoire. Claire Guimond offers us her own sensitive and musical interpretation – one to rank with the very best.

Claire Guimond entre sans hésiter dans la cour des grands… Ses moyens techniques autant que musicaux sont à la hauteur des difficultés que réservent les Fantaisies… Sa sonorité pleine et chaude, ses attaques délicates(…)et sa technique précise contribuent à faire de chaque fantaisie un modèle d’équilibre et de goût… Claire Guimond s’impose comme une flûtiste avec laquelle il faudra désormais compter.    – Alexis Kossenko, Répertoire des disques compacts, France,

Guimond’s impeccable phrasing, loving, warm tone, and superb breath control are shown off to their best advantage in the wonderfully free writing of Telemann’s Fantasias. Guimond pays painstaking attention to each note in the exacting contrapuntal filigree erected by the composer, yet every nuance of emotion is presented with disarming ‘naturel’. Hour (Canada)

Guimond’s playing is poised. She maintains a noble line in rapid as well as slow passages, and while her replica baroque instrument is soft-toned, it has the resonance to suggest larger forces where this effect is desired … A highly civilised disc. The Gazette (Canada).

Although I am a great admirer of Telemann’s music, I hesitated long before buying this CD, … the reason being that I feared that almost an hour of music for flute solo might be boring. However, because I had enjoyed so many of Claire Guimond’s recordings with the Arion Ensemble, I decided to give it a try … and discovered that I had waited far too long! I have just listened to this CD twice straight through, and I can assure you there is not the slightest risk of boredom here! Leslie Richford, Reviewer