JEANNE BAXTRESSER

• Jeanne Baxtresser

"[This is] a sincere and loving offering to the world... Flutists and non-flutists alike will enjoy this remarkable playing and varied repertoire. Her effortless technique still makes my head spin. The Gershwin arrangements...are played with great passion."
American Record Guide - January/February 2007
"MSR Classics' "Jeanne Baxtresser: A Collection of My Favorites" is like a gift from the heavens to flute players. ... Baxtresser has long been established as one of the very best in her field, as principal flute in the New York Philharmonic and as a teacher at the New England Conservatory of Music, Carnegie-Mellon, Julliard and other top music schools. ... Baxtresser's tone on the flute never wears out one's ears; it is pure yet warm and dark, never shrill or excessively wobbly...The first seven tracks is a worthy choice for reissue... "The Baroque Flute" performance is certainly engrossing and exciting... you should hear Henry Cowell's charming "Two Bits" heard at the end of the disc, featuring Baxtresser accompanied by her mother, virtuoso pianist Margaret Baxtresser. The Cowell work was recorded live in 1994, and is unique to this collection....[Baxtresser is] a true master of one of the world's most difficult instruments."
All Music Guide, November 2006
"The whole programme is a joy from beginning to end and shows Ms. Baxtresser’s prowess in a diversity of styles...What most of all characterises her playing is balance and aristocracy, which doesn’t exclude intensity and emotion... The interplay between [Baxtresser and Davis] is admirable, from the coolness of Debussy’s faun and the relaxed intimate Chopin Nocturne via the ravishingly beautiful trio movement by Kuhlau ...Baxtresser plays [Bartok's suite] with her customary elegance and also some rustic charm ...As an encore Baxtresser together with her pianist mother play Two Bits, folk music-inspired pieces by Henry Cowell who had a special relation to Margaret Baxtresser since he composed a piece for her New York debut. This is a live recording and the applause at the end is well deserved and could just as well concern the whole programme. It is refreshing to have a collection of favourites that goes beyond the obvious lollipops and shows that there is so much more or less neglected music which is just as appealing. Laurie Shulman’s liner notes give much valuable background information to the music, which further heightens the value of this lovely recital."
MusicWeb International, October 2006 Hailed as an artist who "plays with absolute perfection, a refined style, and a ravishing sonority," Jeanne Baxtresser has held principal positions with three major orchestras, culminating with her 15-year tenure as solo flutist with the New York Philharmonic. Making her heralded debut with the Minnesota Orchestra at age 14, Ms. Baxtresser began her professional career as principal flutist of the Montreal Symphony immediately following her graduation from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julius Baker. She was subsequently appointed principal flute of the Toronto Symphony before being invited by Music Director Zubin Mehta to join the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Baxtresser appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic on more than fifty occasions, and has been the featured soloist with leading orchestras across North America and Europe. Recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for significant, lasting contributions to the flute world, she is recognized internationally as a leading recording artist, author, and pedagogue.
In great demand as a teacher, many of her students occupy principal and section positions in major orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. In addition to presenting master classes worldwide, Ms. Baxtresser served on the faculty of The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. She is currently the Vira I. Heinz Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and Visiting Artist Lecturer at the New England Conservatory in Boston.
Among her solo and chamber recordings is the acclaimed New York Legends - Jeanne Baxtresser (Cala), and Jeanne Baxtresser - Chamber Music for Flute (Cala) recorded with principal players of the New York Philharmonic. She has also recorded the major symphonic works with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta and Kurt Masur. Ms. Baxtresser’s first book, Orchestral Excerpts for Flute with Piano Accompaniment (Theodore Presser), with a companion CD (Summit), has quickly become a vital part of flute pedagogy. Her subsequent book, Great Flute Duos from the Orchestral Repertoire was named the 2004 winner of the National Flute Association’s Newly Published Music Competition.
For more information, visit www.jeannebaxtresser.com CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
BÉLA BARTOK (1881-1945)
Suite paysanne hongroise
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Nocturne in C-sharp minor
FRIEDRICH KUHLAU (1786-1832)
Trio, Op.119 – Movement III
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943)
Daisies, Op.38 No.3
SAMUEL BARBER (1910 - 1981)
Canzone
C.P.E. BACH (1714-1788)
Concerto for Flute in D minor, Wq.22 – III. Allegro di molto
GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Someone To Watch Over Me
Promenade
CLAUDE BOLLING (b.1930)
Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio (excerpts)
HENRY COWELL (1897-1965)
Two Bits



MSR Classics