Goossens: Five Impressions of a Holiday; Pastorale et Arlequinade; etc.

1	Sketches (4), for flute,
2	Sketches (4), for flute,
3	Sketches (4), for flute,
4	Sketches (4), for flute,
5	Pictures (3) version for
6	Pictures (3) version for
7	Pictures (3) version for
8	Impressions (5) of a Holi
9	Impressions (5) of a Holi
10	Impressions (5) of a Holi
11	Impressions (5) of a Holi
12	Impressions (5) of a Holi
13	Suite, Op 6: a. Impromptu
14	Suite, Op 6: b. Serenade.
15	Suite, Op 6: c. Divertiss
16	Pastorale et Arlequinade,
17	Pastorale et Arlequinade,
Goossens: Five Impressions of a Holiday; Pastorale et Arlequinade; etc.
1.	Sketches (4), for flute, violin & piano, Op. 5 15:09
	Composed by Eugene Goossens
	Performed by Susan Milan, Ian Brown and Jan Peter Schmolck
2.	Pictures (3) version for flute & piano 18:33
	Composed by Eugene Goossens
	Performed by Susan Milan and Ian Brown
3.	Impressions (5) of a Holiday for flute (or violin), cello & piano, Op. 7 15:58
	Composed by Eugene Goossens
	Performed by London Chamber Music Group
4.	Suite, Op 6 10:35
	Composed by Eugene Goossens
	Performed by London Chamber Music Group
5.	Pastorale et Arlequinade, for flute, oboe & piano, Op. 41 7:50
	Composed by Eugene Goossens
	Performed by London Chamber Music Group

All Music Guide

Sir Eugene Goossens is most remembered for his energetic conducting career and his entrepreneurial skills, arranging concerts of new music and famously introducing Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du printemps" to English audiences; but virtually all of his own music has faded into obscurity. Hearing this 2004 Chandos release helps explain that misfortune, if the five chamber works presented here are indicative of the rest of his neglected oeuvre. One might easily mistake the "Sketches (4) for flute, violin and piano" for a work by an ingenious French Impressionist, or find the "Impressions (5) for flute, cello and piano" and the "Suite for flute, violin and harp" overly lush and insipidly pretty, even for prewar fare. On the other hand, Goossens provides some spicier harmonies and greater melodic interest in his "Pictures (3) for flute and piano," and a good deal of tonal ambiguity in his "Pastorale et Arlequinade for flute, oboe and piano"; these marginally adventurous pieces make the disc somewhat more tolerable for modern ears. Flutist Susan Milan turns in fluid performances of appealing tone, though her high range is a little thin and less pleasant than her lowest octave; and the London Chamber Music Group is engaging in its largely supportive role. Chandos offers its usual fine recording quality. Blair Sanderson