Our Review
Do not make the mistake of assuming that an all-flute instrumental Christmas album is a homogenous, one-sound affair! The Resonance Flute Consort's A Flute Tootin' Yule produces sweet holiday music in a surprisingly diverse range of instrumental voices, from the high-pitched piccolo to the deliciously deep contrabass flute, and everything in-between, including the new age whisperings of pan pipes! This is a fun release, a readily accessible classical album that presents serious musicianship while maintaining a light-hearted spirit.
The six professional flutists (Norda Mullen, Michelle Matsumune, Julie Long, Shannon Christianson, Rik Noyce, Karen M. Smith) who make up the consort are masters of their art. The playing is crisp and emotive, playful and polished. The 17 tracks include five works from the Corelli Christmas Concerto and a broad array of popular numbers reflecting the sacred and the secular, as well as ancient and contemporary.
The album opens very well with the title track "A Flute Tootin' Yule," a delightful, seamless meld of multiple holiday favorites. The classy Corelli segments occupy eight minutes (25% of the album's total length); these stately pieces have elegant flow and intense beauty. "Pat-a-Pan" conveys mesmerizing rhythms that inexorably pull the listeners through its exotic domain. The whole package is impressive!
A Flute Tootin' Yule would provide excellent ambient music for any holiday affair. Welcome these wind instruments into your home this season, and the Resonance Flute Consort will not disappoint!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)
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From the liner notes:
Resonance Flute Consort
Norda Mullen: pan pipes, flute, piccolo, alto flute, bass flute
Michelle Matsumune: flute, piccolo, alto flute
Julie Long: flute, alto flute, bass flute
Shannon Christianson: flute, piccolo
Rik Noyce: flute, alto flute
Karen M. Smith: flute, alto flute, bass flute
Special Guest Dave Shostac: contrabass flute
Executive producer: Todd Hayen
Producers:
Karen M. Smith
Scott McRae
Michael Aarvold
Todd Hayen
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Michael Aarvold
Resonance Flute Consort, comprised of six professional flutists from the Los Angeles area, is a distinct ensemble, featuring the entire range of flutes from piccolo to bass and including the very rare and sonorous contrabass flute. This combination of first-rate musicians and innovative pieces, crafted specifically for this group, allows Resonance to offer a dynamic listening experience, challenging the traditional role of the flute as a purely symphonic or solo instrument.
Resonance Flute Consort
A Flute Tootin' Yule
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Label: Nelidova Records
Length: 48 minutes
Genre: Classical
Release: 2005
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| A Flute Tootin' Yule |
| Ding Dong Merrily On High |
| O Come All Ye Faithful |
| Here We Come A-Wassailing |
| Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming |
| Parade of the Wooden Soldiers |
| O Holy Night |
| Corelli Christmas Concerto: I - Vivace-Grave |
| Corelli Christmas Concerto: II - Allegro |
| Corelli Christmas Concerto: III - Vivace |
| Corelli Christmas Concerto: IV - Largo Pastorale |
| Corelli Christmas Concerto: V - Allegro |
| Pat-a-Pan |
| Away in a Manger |
| Jingle Bells |
| O Tannenbaum |
| Auld Lang Syne |