Ron Chaplin speaks with pleasure about a release of...

>...Duos for violin & cello ...by Ravel (Sonate pour violon et
>violoncelle), Martinu (Duo no 1 pour violon et violoncelle), Honegger
>(Sonatine pour violon et violoncelle) and, some one, in my less than
>extensive knowledge, that I haven't heard of:  Erwin Schulhoff (Duo pour
>violon et violoncelle).

I lament Schulhoff's death at Nazi hands, musically speaking, more than any
other composer's.  That regime's suppression was so successful that it was
only fully overcome in the mid-1980s, beginning with Gidon Kremer's efforts.
Schulhoff's considerable body of work now reveals far more than just the
promise of a tremendous career: he died at a mere 48, in 1942, but there's
lots of his music out now, and in all genres.

You'll no doubt hear from listers about the piano music, symphonies,
concertos, ballet suites, operas, etc.  I'll stick to chamber music; in
fact, I'll confine myself to two CDs:

His 1925 Concertino for Flute (Piccolo), Viola and Double Bass is a
marvellous work I first heard on the radio:  'had to stop the car near a
busy intersection to take it in properly.  It's 15 minutes of one-of-a-kind
music-making; if I had to liken it to any other, it would have to be
Bartok's Contrasts -- another sui generis composition.  (Bartok, btw, was
most impressed by a 1926 performance featuring both Hindemith bros.)

An excellent performance by the Ensemble Villa Musica also comes with
that fabulous Duo you mentioned; a Divertissement for Oboe, Clarinet
and Bassoon; his very fine Sonata for Flute and Piano; Die Wolkenpumpe,
a dadaist suite of songs for Baritone, Clarinet, Bassoon, Double Bassoon,
Trumpet and Percussion; and (a rather roughly recorded) The Bass
Nightingale, for solo contrabassoon.  A 74+-min.  CD showcasing Schulhoff's
inventiveness:  MDG 304 0617-2.

Doubling-up on Schulhoff works will be inevitable, but another 'must'
chamber CD is The Schonberg Quartet's outstanding issue of his two String
Quartets, the 5 Pieces for SQ, and his superb Sextet (for 2 violins, violas
& cellos):  Koch-Schwann 3-1233-2.

Speaking of Arthur Honegger, though (you did, above), and of brilliant
20th century SQ repertoire, let me slip in a word for the crisp, sharp
renderings of his three Quartets, and at Naxos prices, by the Erato Quartet
(Aur 417-2) http://www.aura-music.com

Bert Bailey, in Ottawa