Andrea Oliva & Angela Hewitt - Bach: Flute Sonatas (2013)

While Angela Hewitt is renowned for her exquisite recordings of the solo keyboard music of JS Bach, her playing with flutist Andrea Oliva on this 2013 Hyperion release must be judged as a collaborative act. Oliva and Hewitt play Bach's flute sonatas (the three genuine sonatas and three attributions) on modern instruments, so there's no room for quibbling about the authenticity of the instrumentation. Indeed, both musicians display a fine sense of Bach's aesthetics and understanding of what sounds right, so only a grudging purist would resist their naturally appealing musicianship in favor of a clinical performance on Baroque instruments. The interpretations are straightforward and tasteful, allowing for some freedom in ornamentation but never to the point of fussiness, and the openness of expression fits well with the bright and even robust sound of the flute and the piano. This recording demonstrates the importance of putting musicality and expressive depth over the dry mechanics or historicity of playing Bach, and there is considerable pleasure to be derived from these highly artistic readings. Hyperion's sound is clear and spacious, yet close enough to give Oliva and Hewitt presence.