1) Stolen Moments, a CD by StephanieJutt, flute, and Jeffrey Sykes, piano playing transcriptions of works by Brahms. Centaur Records CRC 2706. Price: $16. Available from Centaur Records, Inc., 136 St. Joseph Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Phone number: (225) 336-4877. Website: www.centaurrecords.com/ Audio clips of this recording can be found at: http://www.bachdancinganddynamite.org/listen.html

     Performing some big, richly rewarding works by a late 19th century genius whose lyrical melodies and broad forms combine with an emotional intensity that is both profound and intimately personal, Jutt and Sykes presents three of Johannes Brahms late sonatas: Opus 120, No. 1 in F minor and Opus, 120, No. 2 in Eb for clarinet and Opus 100 in A major for violin. In the hands of Stephanie Jutt, these sonatas almost work better than the original versions. Her tone is so expressive and her interpretation so clear that she is utterly convincing and would have made gruff old Johannes himself swoon. Her high register has a singing sweetness that makes you ache with its longing romanticism; the middle octave has overtones that sizzle, and her low register is deep and full of color. (I am almost compelled to lapse into the hyperbole of wine reviews to describe the velvet richness of her tone.)

     In fact, in some ways, her ability to shade and color the tone make the clarinet sonatas even more dramatic than when played on the original instrument. With these recordings Stephanie Jutt has come into her own as an acknowledged master of the flute. She is the equal of anyone performing today. Sykes is a very sensitive duo companion; he balances her poignant phrasing while providing a rich texture and a strong rhythmic pulse that pushes the sonatas to heroic heights. This is music making of the highest order. If only there had been flutists performing at this level of artistry in the last century, who knows what solo masterpieces Brahms, Tchaikovsky, or Mahler might have been inspired to create for us. An outstanding recording! (J.E.P.)

2) A multi-media package: Places of the Spirit; Music and Images inspired by the Berkshires. CD Recording by Paula Robison, Flute, with artwork by Jim Schantz. Published by the Pucker Gallery, 171 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. Telephone: (617) 267-9473. Price: $25 for CD and book. To order, go on-line to: http://www.puckergallery.com/publications/publications.html

     This multi-media package resulted from a personal collaboration between Robison and Schantz, who both have had a long-time association and affinity for the scenery and mood of the mountains of Western Massachusetts. Jim Schantz’ pastels are at once both figurative and impressionistic as they capture the essence and beauty of this locality while Paula Robison echoes and interprets this vision from her vivid experience of this lovely region through solo flute works. Works included are: Morning Has Broken; Air by Toru Takemitsu; Morning Song by Peter Schickle; Chipewa Grace, an improvisation on a Ojibway melody and “Amazing Grace”; Three Hungarian Folksongs; Flutings by Leon Kirchner; “Allegro” from Vivaldi’s La Printemps; I Have Come Into My Garden by Meira Warshauer (a lovely piece especially written for this recording); the spirituals, “There is a Balm in Gilead” and “Deep River”; a song “Brethern We Have Met to Worship” from the Continental Harmony; Claude Debussy’s Syrinx; A Transcendential Evening Walk, an improvisation inspired by Charles Ives; and “God Be in My Head” from the Sarum Piner.

     These lovely meditative melodies are presented with a background of birdsong and sounds of nature, which combine to evoke an air of nostalgia and contemplation that is both inspirational and inspired. Clearly, Robison feels these songs deeply and her soulful renditions are direct and expressive without being cloying or artificial. Each of the 17 pieces and 18 paintings is further reinforced by poetry and quotations that give insight into the art and the music. Only an artist of Robison’s reputation, maturity and mastery could have brought off such a difficult and intensely personal undertaking. The overall effect of this blending of art, music, and poetry is simply breathtaking. This is a special treat and treasure for flutists and all lovers of beauty. We are left wanting to go again to enjoy the Housatonic river at sunset, the special light and fragrant air, the verdant vistas filled with songbirds, and the gentle winds and fleeting clouds--Away to the hills once more! (J.E.P.)

3) A source for historic recordings by William Kincaid. Available from Haydn House, P.O. Box 608, Dennis, MA, 02638, this company offers a unique collection of Private Issue CDs of recordings featuring outstanding performances not released elsewhere and specializes and n LP to CD transfer of rare and out-of-print historic recording. You can see their on-line catalog and order online from the website: http://www.haydnhouse.com/home.htm. Most of these recordings are priced at $ 10.00, including free shipping. High quality MP3 audio samples are available at the website. Email enquiries to: HaydnHouse@comcast.net

     In addition to many fine recordings of orchestral and chamber works from a wide variety of orchestras, ensembles and labels, Haydn House has released two historic recordings of interest to flutists, which have been long unavailable: First Chair, Vol. I of this series of mono Columbia recordings of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was first issued in 1952 and features the first chair players of the Philadelphia Orchestra, who were among the world's very best orchestral musicians at that time. A super quiet, never played condition "six eye" Columbia LP disk was carefully re- mastered and then transferred to CD.

     The passionate performance by William Kincaid of Charles T. Griffes’ Poem for Flute and Orchestra was a revelation to me when I first heard it back in when I was in Junior High (and was directly responsible for me deciding to begin playing the flute.) This exceptional recording has long been out of print and my vinyl LP platter was played to death before I thought to transfer it to tape or CD. The recording is monophonic but is still as brilliant as I had remembered. Other works on this recording are: Jeremiah Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary in D Major with Samuel Krauss, soloist; G.F. Handel’s Concerto No. 3 in G Minor for Oboe and Strings with the legendary Marcel Tabuteau, oboe soloist; Burrill Phillips’ Concert Piece for Bassoon and String Orchestra with Sol Schoenbach; Carl Marcia Von Weber’s Adagio and Rondo for Cello and Orchestra, Lorne Monroe, soloist; Emmanuel Chabrier’s Larghetto for Horn and Orchestra, Mason Jones, soloist; Ludwig von Beethoven: Romance Nº 2 in F Major for Violin and Orchestra, Jacob Krachmalnick, soloist; Von Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra, Anthony Gigliotti, soloist.

     These are all elegant performances by master musicians. The Beethoven Romance will be of special interest as this work has been widely transcribed and performed by flutists. (I hope that this company eventually will release Vol. II of the First Chair solos series, featuring flutist Murray Panitz playing the Ernst Bloch Suite Modale in the version with string orchestra accompaniment, which is so seldom heard.)

      Also available from Hayden House is a fine recording of The Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet, featuring William Kincaid, flute, John deLancie, oboe, Anthony Gigliotti, clarinet, Sol Schoenbach, bassoon, and Mason Jones, French horn, performing Paul Hindemith’s, Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, Nº 2; Jacques Ibert’s Trois pièces breves; Eugene Bozza’s Scherzo for Wind Quintet, Op. 48; F.J. Haydn’s Divertimento Nº 1 in B-flat "St. Antonii"; and Ludvig von Beethoven’s Sextet in E-flat, Op. 7. (J.E.P.)