CLÉMENCE DE GRANDVAL (1828-1907): Oboe Concerto, Lamento and Scherzo for Oboe and Strings, Romance and Gavotte for Oboe, Cello and Strings, Trio de Salon for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano, Noël for Soprano, Oboe and Piano, 2 Morceaux for English Horn and Piano.

Description: The orchestral score being lost, oboist Lences orchestrated this 1878 concerto in such a delicate, skillful and delightful manner that one doesn't even doubt that the composer would have approved. Grandval was a life-long friend of Saint-Saëns after studying under him (and as heard here her music is not unlike his cosmopolitan style) and she left symphonies as well as works in practically every other genre, including opera. On the basis of the concerto and the other thoroughly enjoyable and characterful miniatures, Grandval is someone for record labels to seek out. Lajos Lencses (oboe, english horn), Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra; Andrei Boreiko, Budapest Strings, Ansgar Schneider (cello), Ulrike Sonntag (soprano), Libor Sima (bassoon), François Killian (piano).