Critic’s Choice

Wed Feb 14, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Emmanuel Pahud. Photo: Fabien Monthubert

Emmanuel Pahud. Photo: Fabien Monthubert

Remember flute recitals? A generation ago, when the “flute boom” was at its height, Jean-Pierre Rampal was interviewed by Kermit on The Muppet Show, high schools had bands consisting of nothing but flutes, and charismatic young American players with names like Wincenc, Wilson, Robison and Zukerman crisscrossed the country, selling out auditoriums wherever they went. 

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear–go to the 92nd Street Y’s intimate Kaufmann Concert Hall Saturday night and hear flutist Emmanuel Pahud and pianist Alessio Bax perform a sonata program straight out of the Wincenc-Wilson-et-al. playbook: flute works by Poulenc and Bach, a Mendelssohn arrangement, and the wonderful sonata Schubert composed for an almost mythical instrument, the “arpeggione.” 

Pahud is presently co-principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic—appointed in 1992, at age 22—and enjoys an international reputation comparable to that of previous occupants of that chair such as Aurèle Nicolet and James Galway.  Bax too has made his mark as piano soloist and chamber musician.  They will likely show us what those packed auditoriums were all about.

Flutist Emmanuel Pahud and pianist Alessio Bax perform sonatas by Poulenc, Bach, Mendelssohn and Schubert 8 p.m. Saturday at the 92nd Street Y.  92y.org; 212-415-5500.


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