Rhapsodies Céleste-Marie Roy

• Maurice Allard (b. 1923): Variations sur un thème de Paganini pour basson seul:
• 1 Allard: Variations sur un thème de Paganini pour basson seul 09:07
• Nikolaus Maler (b. 1972): Ten Variations on "La Folia" for Solo Bassoon:
• 2 Maler: Ten Variations on "La Folia" for Solo Bassoon 06:33
• Klaus Thunemann (1923 - 2025): 18 Variazioni su un Thema di Paganini per Fagotto:
• 3 Thunemann: 18 Variazioni su un Thema di Paganini per Fagotto 11:17
• Malcolm Arnold (1921 - 2006): Fantasy for Bassoon, Op. 86:
• 4 Arnold: Fantasy for Bassoon, Op. 86 04:41
• Gordon Jacob (1895 - 1984): Partita for Solo Bassoon:
• 5 Jacob: Partita for Solo Bassoon: I. Préludio 00:34
• 6 Jacob: Partita for Solo Bassoon: II. Valse 01:36
• 7 Jacob: Partita for Solo Bassoon: III. Presto 00:49
• 8 Jacob: Partita for Solo Bassoon: IV. Aria antiqua 01:32
• 9 Jacob: Partita for Solo Bassoon: V. Capricietto 01:00
• Willson Osborne (1906 - 1979): Rhapsody for Bassoon:
• 10 Osborne: Rhapsody for Bassoon 05:06
• Marcel Farago (1924 - 2016): Phantasy on a Theme by Paganini for Bassoon Alone, Op. 40a:
• 11 Farago: Phantasy on a Theme by Paganini for Bassoon Alone, Op. 40a 06:49
• Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950): 2 Monodies pour basson, Op. 213:
• 12 Koechlin: 2 Monodies pour basson, Op. 213: I. Andante con moto - très doux 02:59
• 13 Koechlin: 2 Monodies pour basson, Op. 213: II. Allegro moderato 02:22
• Antonio Lauro (1917 - 1986): Vals Venezolano:
• 14 Lauro: Vals Venezolano: No. 1 Tatiana (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera) 01:23
• 15 Lauro: Vals Venezolano: No. 2 Andreina (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera) 01:22
• 16 Lauro: Vals Venezolano: No. 3 Natalia (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera) 02:26
• El Marabino (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera):
• 17 Lauro: El Marabino (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera) 01:52
• Carora (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera):
• 18 Lauro: Carora (Arr. for Bassoon by Paquito D'Rivera) 02:24
• Mathieu Lussier (b. 1973): Fantasia tango pour basson:
• 19 Lussier: Fantasia tango pour basson 02:42
• Total Runtime 01:06:34

Info for Rhapsodies

The works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Friedrich Kuhlau are ideally suited for the bassoon by their range and style though originally composed for the flute. Roy draws on her experience as an expert baroque bassoonist so that these works resonate sonorously on the modern instrument with a deliciously light playing style.

Bach's Partita was rediscovered on the back of another manuscript 200 years after it was written. It was composed during his creative Cothen years where he had an ensemble of virtuoso musicians at his disposal whose sole task was to perform for the prince's pleasure. The rapid figures and melodic richness call for such astonishing dexterity and breath control that musicologists have speculated the work had originally been composed for a string or keyboard instrument. Roy's great virtuosity surpasses all technical demands.

Friedrich Kuhlau was a prolific composer with a legacy of over 200 works despite all his unpublished manuscripts being destroyed in a house fire. Beethoven, whom he met at a party in Vienna in 1825, held him in high esteem and even composed a jocular canon in his honour, "Kuhl, nicht lau", WoO91. Variations on operatic themes were highly prized at the time and popular at Hausmusik concerts. Kuhlau's Fantasies begin with variations on two arias from Mozart's Don Giovanni and conclude with a canzonetta by Francesco Bianchi.

Sophisticated The Swiss-Franco-American virtuoso, Céleste-Marie Roy, elevates the sonorous splendour of the bassoon to vibrant new heights with her flexible tone, technical finesse and striking interpretation of melodious and highly virtuosic works from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Brilliant All works are composed especially for the bassoon and all demonstrate a deep knowledge of this idiosyncratic instrument. Thunemann's Variazioni ranges widely from dark melancholy to exuberant virtuosity with staccato passages, lively trills, jovial jumps and octave slurs. Roy contrasts this with Allard's and Farago's versions of the famous Theme by Paganini. Passionate Fantasy for Bassoon by Sir Malcolm Arnold explores the bassoon's lyrical potential, varied articulations, and the composer's love of melody. Similarly melodious are Lussier's Fantasia Tango, Koechlin's Monodies and Gordon Jacob’s Partita – the latter an especially generous portrayal of the instrument’s sumptuous tone.

Outstanding Roy's solo programme in high-resolution reproduction is a dynamic listening experience, dispelling many preconceived ideas about the bassoon, impressing listeners and critics alike: "Céleste-Marie Roy is a master of articulation, tone production and breath control. She clearly demonstrates that the unwieldy bassoon is indeed well suited as a solo instrument. These recordings are sure to be a welcome addition to the collections of all lovers of this distinctive sound." (Klassik Festival)

Céleste-Marie Roy, bassoon

No biography found.

Booklet for Rhapsodies