The Queens of the Night, a quartet of young women bassoon players who have Geneva in common, have just released their first recording. Subtitled "Bassoon Classics," the disc features American Kim Walker in the starring role, with strong support from England's Maria Mealey, Australia's Lorelei Bowling and Geneva's own Antoinette Baehler. Mesdemoiselles Bowling and
Mealey share contra duties.
This CD, a generous 66-plus minutes of music, starts with selections from the Renaissance and Baroque, by turns stentorian and tender. A sweet arrangement of the Albinoni Adagio by Antoinette Baehler, with its close harmonies, is particularly plangent and lachrymose. I think I like Antoinette's arrangement of the Pachelbel Canon even more than the original version! The quartet brings the eighteenth century to a close with Mozart, busting a move inevitably on the Queen of the Night aria, featuring Kim Walker on coloratura bassoon.
The Queens play several nineteenth century pieces by Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Chopin. I was particularly struck by "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot, especially by the way the group seems to be totally atuned to one another in terms of matching vibratos and varying them for expressive purposes. After a sprightly Carmen, the quartet comes to my favorite piece on the disc, Famous Overtures by Guy Bovet. For sheer twisted wackiness this one takes the cake, as the Queens race through overture after overture at breakneck speed, one after another, sometimes more than one at a time, reminiscent of the popcorn-soaked hallucinations of a crazed silent movie organist. The variety continues with Maria Mealey's rock and pop arrangements of Elvis, Big Spender and closing in campy fashion with Lullaby of Broadway.
The Queens of the Night have given us a great new collection of ensemble pieces, all of which are published. The program book and cover art are high-concept and the notes are funny in English, French and German. It is to be hoped that the group, having piqued our interest with their particular blend of elegance, vitality and fun, will favor us with volume two in the near future.
Philip Gottling, Honolulu
RATING: 3 CROWS
