Album review: Emmanuel Pahud, Christian Rivet, Around the World (Warner Classics)

A musical journey linking Asia, Europe and both Americas, Around the World finds flautist Emmanuel Pahud and guitarist Christian Rivet seeking rapprochement between the old world of Handel and Francesco Molino and the new world of Elliott Carter and Astor Piazzolla, bridged by the emigrant Béla Bartók. The latter's six-part “Romanian Folk Dances” displays the duo's virtues, Rivet's nimble accompaniment providing momentum while Pahud leads with an airy grace. The greatest contrast is between the dynamic shifts of Carter's “Scrivo in vento” and the calm of Molino's “Duo Op 16 No 3”; but the most satisfying pieces are from Asia, such as the flute and guitar interplay in Toshio Hosakawa's “itsuku no komori uta”.

Download: L'Aube enchantée; itsuku no komori uta; Romanian Folk Dances