Amidst the plethora of soloists and orchestras performing on this 2007 Naxos disc are two things the listener can depend on: the rugged, evocative, and above all Romantic music of Ernest Bloch and the strong, colorful, and dedicated conducting of Dalia Atlas. The four works range from the Swiss-American composer's early Two Poems: Hiver and Printemps from 1905 through his mature Four Episodes from 1926 and late Concertino for flute and viola from 1948 to his very late Suite Modale for flute and strings from 1956. These four ...
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Amidst the plethora of soloists and orchestras performing on this 2007 Naxos disc are two things the listener can depend on: the rugged, evocative, and above all Romantic music of Ernest Bloch and the strong, colorful, and dedicated conducting of Dalia Atlas. The four works range from the Swiss-American composer's early Two Poems: Hiver and Printemps from 1905 through his mature Four Episodes from 1926 and late Concertino for flute and viola from 1948 to his very late Suite Modale for flute and strings from 1956. These four works are divided among three ensembles: the Slovak Radio Symphony in the Two Poems, the Soloists of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in the Four Episodes, and the eponymously named Atlas Camerata Orchestra in the Concerto and Suite Modale, the latter two works featuring dulcet-toned flutist Noam Buchman and sweet-toned violinist Yuri Gandelsman as soloists. And every work is given an ideal performance by every player in each ensemble. Atlas clearly believes in Bloch's genius, and...
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