But this CD captivated me for its entire 67 minutes. The opening piece, King David Sonata by Srul Irving Glick is one of those works that, on first hearing, sound like an old acquaintance. Scored for solo harp, this gentle opus should be a repertoire standard. Celtic in mood, Glenn Buhr's Dan.ses Abstraites is brilliantly scored for flute and harp. As on all the duets on this disc, the harp is an equal partner with the soloist. Of course, the flute can do things that the harp cannot and Buhr exploits these differences brilliantly. The title piece, Kelly-Marie Murphy's Illuminations, was commissioned by Loman and inspired by the writings of her nonverbal autistic son who, with the aid of a facilitator, wrote about being unable to communicate with the world around him. The first and second movements are lonely pieces but in the third there is an awakening. Composer and TSO co-principal clarinetist Raymond Luedeke's The Lyre of Orpheus is scored for harp and string quartet and was inspired by Rilke's sonnets. It is, for want of a better phrase, charming. Other TSO colleagues involved in this marvelous recording include concertmaster Jacques lsraelievitch (in a work by R. Murray Schafer commissioned for lsraelievitch's 50th birthday) and flutist Nora Shulman. Engineers Norbert Kraft and Boilnie Silver have produced a faultless CD. Bruce Surtees Jacques Hetu - Concertos Andre Laplante; Robert Cram; Joaquin Valdepenas; Christopher Millard CBC Radio Orchestra; Mario Bernardi CBC Records SMCD 5228 Several weeks ago CBC's Two New Hours previewed this disc, presenting an entire program of concertos by the renowned Canadian composer Jacques Hetu. There are very few Canadian composers whose concerted works would fill an evening, and even fewer from whom we'd be happy to hear at that length. While Hetu's is a conservative voice, these virtuosic and engaging works all stand as significant contributions to the modern Romantic repertoire. I was first exposed to Hetu's music many years ago while behind the wheel of a taxi. Irma Vallecillo was performing his Piano Concerto, Op.15 with the Louisville Orchestra and I was so enthralled that I did not turn down the radio when I picked up my next fare. This led to one of the most rewarding experiences of my life as a cab driver - at the end of her journey the passenger thanked me and commented on how nice it was to hear "proper" music. This disc does not contain that concerto but it does include its sequel, Piano Concerto No.2, Op.64, written 30 years later ( 1999) for Andre Laplante. The dedicatee of the Flute Concerto, Op.51 (1992), Robert Cram, is also the performer on this disc. The two earlier concertos contained here - the Clarinet Concerto, Op.37 and Bassoon Concerto, Op.31 written in 1983 and 1979 respectively - have found new champions in TSO coprinc i pal clarinetist Joaquin Valdepenas and VSO/CBCRO principal bassoonist Christopher Millard. All of the performances are outstanding. David Olds Editor's note: It is indicative of Hetu 's outstanding accomplishments and broad appeal that he is one of very few Canadian composers well represented on compact disc. The early Piano Concerto, Op.15 is available on the four CD Radio Canada International Anthology Jacques Hetu, distributed by the Canadian Music Centre (www.musiccentre.ca). His trumpet and guitar concertos are both available on "Ovation, Volume J" a budget-priced five CD set from CBC Records released last year to complement the Centrediscs "Portrait" sets of Hetu, Murray Ada.skin, Jean Coulthard, Harry Freedman and John Weinzweig. It's got personalit- .. Yours! Yamaha stringed instruments follow years of research · and development of highend and rare violins. In true 'top-down' fashion, we have taken the features gnd applied processes normally only found on the most valuable instruments to make the best possible student & professionlll instrulllents. Most importantly, Yamaha's lut · rs have stringed instruments that sound wonde.rfol, play beautifully and are finished in Canada with superb fittings and set-up. 62 www.thewholenote.com Septembe r 1 - O ctobe r 7 2003
