Sonora Winds, From Shadow to Light, 20th Century Music for Winds from Poland

Six 20th Century Polish Composers contribute well-crafted and often inspired wind music as the talented and disciplined Sonora Winds step forward for the album From Darkness to Light (MSR Classics MS1702).

We are treated to some fine Lutoslawski and five compositions by lesser known but worthy 20th Century Polish voices. All-in-all there are three Trios for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon--by Witold Lutoslawski (1945), Antoni Szalowski (1937), and Wladyslaw Walentynowicz (1952). Then for flute, clarinet and bassoon there is Wawrzyntec Zulawski's 1950 "Aria con Variazioni" and Janina Garscia's 1967 "Tema con Variazioni." Finally there is the one wind quartet in Tadeusz Baird's "Divertimento" for Flute, Clarinet, Oboe and Bassoon (1956).

Perhaps the Lutoslawski is a tad more Modern than the rest, and it is excellent listening, but throughout there is no drop off in quality. There is in fact a thoughtful articulateness in a highly engaging Neo-Classical mode for the whole of the music.

And kudos to the Sonora Winds (Bethany Gonella, flute, Stuart Sutter, oboe, Anastasiya Nyzkodub, clarinet, and Marta Troicki, bassoon) for a uniformly detailed and expressive sonance from first to last.

It should be a boon to all who follow Polish Modernists and wind chamber music. The music has a down-to-earth accessibility that should have general appeal as well. Nicely done! Sonora is a definite phenomena and the repertoire is a most pleasant surprise.