Temporal Fantasies of Britten and Hindemith
Jared Hauser, oboe and English Horn; Nicholas Roth, piano
The five Britten compositions recorded on this disc display Britten's wide range of colorful and expressive writing. The performances of Hauser and his colleagues beautifully demonstrate the underlying feelings of each of the compositions.
The Temporal Variations is a study of contention, intolerance, and assuagement. Britten's use of the oboe and piano as adversaries is very nicely demonstrated by Hauser and Roth. The Phantasy Quartet, demonstrating Britten's ability to incorporate both rhythmical complexity and lyrical writing, is made evident by the ensemble’s performance. The Two Insect Pieces are a clear example of Britten's lighthearted and whimsical writing and the playing of Hauser and Roth nicely demonstrates those traits.
In Britten's most famous work for the oboe, Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo oboe, it is evident that Jared Hauser has taken time to reflect on the stories which Britten has so skillfully depicted through music. These short movements have been thoughtfully prepared and well played. There have been many wonderful recordings made of the Metamorphoses, but I do think that this recording has its own unique interpretation and is worth the listener’s attention.
The Hindemith Sonata for English Horn and Piano (1941) is a mixture of introspective and unrestrained, almost boisterous, writing. Hauser and Roth give a very creditable performance of this not too often heard sonata. It is nice to have this recording as a point of reference and for listening. The Sonata for Oboe and Piano (1938), the more familiar and more recorded of the two Hindemith works, is a pleasant listening experience for me. Hauser is quite a thoughtful and sensitive musician and some of the musical ideas and nuances which he adds in this performance are very attractive.
I can wholeheartedly recommend this disc to any oboist or lover of the music of Britten and/or Hindemith.
After many years as princibal oboe of the Orlando Philharmonic, Jared Hauser has been appointed professor of oboe at the Blair School of Music, at Vanderbilt University. Nicholas Roth is professor of piano at Drake University in Des Moines Iowa.

Robert Krause,  published in "The Double Reed" Vol.31, No.4, International Double Reed Society

Temporal Fantasies of Britten and Hindemith

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