SPANNUNGEN Chamber Music Festival is one of the few musical events (2015) where one can stumble upon four rare gems such as these, hitherto almost entirely absent from concert repertoire. The flute sparkles in virtuoso passages, the piano tackles and overcomes daunting technical challenges, while the clarinet and the oboe play gracefully, “in the best manner”. One can clearly tell that these first-rate chamber musicians highly enjoy serving these jewels to their audience on a silver platter. This CD features an exciting discovery: the Sketches, op.12 by Alexander Krein, who was the main representative of the Jewish Russian School in the early 20th century. Alexander Klughardt’s “Reed Songs” would be unimaginable without their obvious model, Schumann’s Fantasiestücke. Thus, this CD offers an unbroken chain of gorgeous as well as entertaining chamber music.

The roster of artists appearing on this live concert recording also stands for the cosmopolitan, world-class level of Heimbach SPANNUNGEN Festival, founded 18 years ago by renowned pianist Lars Vogt.