Katherine Bryan - Liebermann Flute Concerto - The Herald

Here is a disc that has been eagerly anticipated: the debut recording by Katherine Bryan, principal flautist in the RSNO. The reason for the anticipation is not the title piece, the Liebermann, but Bryan's recording of Carl Nielsen's Flute Concerto with the RSNO and conductor Paul Daniel. It's a great work, though it doesn't have the physical stature of your average concerto. I'm perpetually irritated by the composer's apologetic explanation for the flute as a concerto instrument. The piece is perfectly scaled, with the flute intertwining with every woodwind instrument in its orbit, while cheekily refusing to be intimidated by the big bad bass trombone that stomps and slithers onto the pastoral patch. Don't be fooled by Nielsen's verbal timidity: the orchestral score has real meat - lean, and the finest, thinnest cuts; but meat.