Parisian Gaubert shines through

Nick Bailey enjoys volume one of Gaubert's works for flute, beautifully carried by Fenwick Smith on flute and pianist Sally Pinkas

Composer: Philippe Gaubert
Repertoire: Complete Works for Flute Vol.1
Artists: Fenwick Smith (flute), Sally Pinkas (piano)
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Instrumental
Label: Naxos 8.557305

Gaubert was a flautist with the Paris Opera who went on to become professor of flute at the Paris Conservatoire. His 14 works for flute and piano have long been standard repertoire, but the six chamber works on this album have remained obscure. They all feature the flute and piano but we also hear the oboe, cello, violin and harp. My particular favourite though is the work for voice, flute and piano with the soprano Jayne West.