In the News
October 23, 2010
Financial Times
Alison Balsom: Italian Concertos
By Andrew Clark
Financial Times
Alison Balsom: Italian Concertos
By Andrew Clark
Maurice André's CD recitals proved that the baroque trumpet transcends conventional musical boundaries: in the right hands, Albinoni, Tartini and Vivaldi belong to everyone.
Balsom is a worthy successor, with a more nimble, up-to-date timbre than the super-plush French virtuoso. What is fascinating about her disc is that none of the concertos she plays was written for trumpet.
But transcription was part of the baroque composer's world, and Balsom, sweetly accompanied by the Scottish Ensemble, glides through the decorative slides with ease.