Patrick Gallois, Jörg Demus - Jörg Demus: Works For Flute And Piano (La Flûte Enchantée) (2006)

Jorg Demus is perhaps better known as a pianist than a composer-- having recorded more than 350 LP's, compact discs, and videos. He has performed throughout Europe and the Americas and has played under the baton of conductors like Herbert von Karajan, Joseph Krips, Seiji Ozawa, and others. His output as a composer appears to be relatively small and confined to chamber works-- but what a first-rate composer he is! I have reviewed elsewhere the Marco Polo recording of Demus' works for cello and piano. The more I listen to his music, the more impressed I am with his deeply poetic soul and lyrical gifts. In my opinion, his Sonata Poetique in G Minor for cello and piano(Ondes Tristes) is truly a masterwork of the twentieth century, on a level with any chamber work written by the great Romantic composers. This present disc of works for piano and flute likewise exhibits the exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful artistry of this master composer. Demus' works overflow with one sweetly-scented, memorable melody after another, developed with great creativity and skill; the influence of Germanic and Austrian composers like Schumann and Schubert is clearly evident,but there is also a Gallic feel to his music, a perfumed gracefulness, wistfulness and longing melancholy that reminds me of French composers like Faure and Chausson. There may be nothing 'groundbreaking' in his works, but if you love well-crafted, lovely Romantic chamber works, you will be delighted to discover these works by Jorg Demus.