Search - Michel Bettez (solo bassoon), Jeanne Amièle (piano) :: Sonatas and Nocturnes - 19th Century Gems for Bassoon and Piano [Includes World Premiere Recordings]

The bassoon is truly a wondrous instrument. The history of its various forms and transformations over the centuries is a complex and fascinating one. But from the one-piece dulcian to the modern bassoon, this double-reed tenor and bass woodwind has never ceased to be one of the most versatile of wind instruments. Since the Baroque period, when it adopted its multiple-joint construction, its wide range in compass and tone color made it not only indispensable as the bass of the oboe family, but also as a rich support in the orchestra and as an increasingly favored obbligato or solo instrument. As early as 1695, the French composer Lalande in his Grand Pièce Royale included an obbligato bassoon part, lending the work an extra measure of heartfelt expression. Vivaldi composed no fewer than 39 bassoon concertos, outnumbered only by those he wrote for the violin. The 18th century saw many concertos, chamber works, and vocal works featuring the bassoon prominently, especially in the German-speaking world, notably in works by J.S. Bach, Fasch, Graun, and later Haydn and Mozart. By the 19th century, in a period when it was undergoing various changes, the bassoon held an important role in the many fashionable chamber works for winds. Solo works for the bassoon, whether full-blown concertos or short individual pieces and sonatas with piano, were being written by professional composers (Hummel, Weber) with a specific performer in mind, or by virtuosi for their own use. The present recording offers a pick of some veritable musical gems for bassoon and piano, mostly from little-known composers well worth discovering. For more than 30 years, Michel Bettez has been the principal bassoonist of Montreal's Orchestre Métropolitain, currently under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Since 1990, Bettez has also been principal bassoonist of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, and a member of Nouvel Ensemble Moderne since its founding in 1989. With NEM, he has toured extensively in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Europe, Asia and Australia. In 1984, Bettez earned special mention at the Concours du Prix d Europe, a performance competition held in Quebec, and since then has played as soloist with numerous orchestras. A highly versatile artist, Bettez also plays baroque and classical bassoon with several period ensembles. He was also a member of notable chamber music groups, including the woodwind quintet, Ensemble Pentaèdre. Bettez is an official recital artist for the esteemed bassoon manufacturer, Bernd Moosmann, and has given numerous recitals at international music conferences, including many of the annual events hosted by the International Double Reed Society (IDRS). He has taught at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and as part of the faculty of music at l Université de Montréal, and has given master classes and recitals in several universities. Canadian pianist Jeanne Amièle has distinguished herself at several Canadian competitions in recent years, including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal's Manulife Competition, Canadian Music Competition, Concours de musique Hélène-Roberge and Concours de l Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières. In 2016, Amièle won first prize in the Shean Piano Competition in Edmonton, and second prize in the Stepping Stone edition of the Canadian Music Competition, held in Québec. She has been invited to play as a soloist with several orchestras in there, including the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, the Orchestre de chambre Appassionata and the Orchestre de l Université de Montréal. Amièle has been a student at the l Université de Montréal since 2009, working with pianist Jean Saulnier. This recording was sponsored in part by Bernd Moosmann Meisterwerkstätte für Holzblasinstrumente GmbH.