(Jane Rutter: French and Hispanic pieces for Flute)

Sultry or drowsy gracefulness and twirling, insistent excitement are the qualities that unite the pieces on this disc. Most have Spanish or Latin American references, some pieces were composed by Frenchmen; a French composer Léo Delibes, wrote the sensuously languorous music (track 16) that forms part of an exotic opera set in 19th-century India. Jane Rutter claims this collection of melodies for the flute, showing that this instrument, so often associated with coolness and freshness, can glow with warm colour. Jane Rutter flute, Amanda Thane soprano, Gregory Pikler guitar, Gerard Willems piano, Louise Johnson harp, The Gagliano String Quartet (Fiona Ziegler, Léone Ziegler violins, David Wicks viola, Pierre Emery cello) Brian Nixon, Ian Cleworth percussion, Max McBride double bass.