New Music for a New Oboe, Volume 1
Christoper Redgate is widely acknowledged as the world’s foremost oboist in the New Music arena. He recently worked with the leading oboe manufacturer, Howarth of London, to create a new instrument specifically designed to aid the more challenging requirements of the avant-garde, including multiphonics. This CD demonstrates the new oboe as well as presenting the first recordings of two major new works by leading composers Michael Finnissy and Edwin Roxburgh. Volume 2 is on MSV 28531
Track Listing
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Edwin Roxburgh:
- The Well Tempered Oboe - Aeolian Prelude (3:56)
- The Well Tempered Oboe - Triadic Arioso (6:13)
- The Well Tempered Oboe - Chromatic Fantasia (7:06)
- The Well Tempered Oboe - Multiphonic Toccata (6:36) Michael Finnissy:
- Awaz-e Niyaz (54:57)
Reviews
“Christopher Redgate’s technical command is astonishing thoughout… well worth the attention of listeners in any hemisphere.
” —Arnold Whittall
“This new instrument meets the demands not only of adventurous players … but also by the imaginative demands of composers. [Roxburgh’s] is a carefully crafted work of sensitivity and consummate skill. Finnissy is so superbly inventive that the hour [of Awâz-e Niyâz] passes without undue stress. A monumental work. The research behind this remarkable CD is well rewarded by music that is as fascinating and challenging as it is revelatory.
” —Patric Standford
“[Finnissy’s piece] has a ritualistic, meditative quality… and then suddenly you fall into his fantasy… you lose your place and realise how liberating that is. Edwin Roxburgh’s soberer The Well-Tempered Oboe gives Redgate plenty of technical substance to chew on, but the Finnissy obliges him to play beyond himself.
” —Philip Clark
“Since [Edwin Roxburgh] is an oboist himself, his music is idiomatically written Both oboist Redgate and pianist Stephen Robbings play with the highest degree of artistry. [Finnissy’s work] is a fine composition. Oboist Christopher Redgate is a consummate virtuoso and composer-pianist Michael Finnissy plays with great precision. The sound is excellent.
” —Maria Nockin
“The music on this disc is challenging with the striking microtones of the Well-Tempered Oboe and the repetitions of Awaz-e Niyaz. However, concentrated listening brings immense rewards with intriguing and unusual sounds many of which are very beautiful. Christopher Redgate’s playing is simply spectacular. The recording is excellent and there are informative notes on the instruments and the musicians by Christopher Redgate, as well as individual notes on the music by Edwin Roxburgh and Michael Finnissy.
” —Bruce Reader
“Roxburgh’s Well Tempered Oboe [is] exceedingly well written. Finnissy’s 55-minute meditation [is] a hypnotic, eventually explosive unfolding.
” —Paul Driver
“It’s always a joy to hear Redgate play anything at all, but this coupling of works by Edwin Roxburgh and Michael Finnissy does fine justice to the Howarth-Redgate instrument.
” —Roger Thomas
