Abgeklärte Flötentöne
Wegner und Kroeker nähern sich Kuhlaus klassischer Strenge und abgeklärter Reife mit beispielhafter Entdeckerlust. Derart fein ausgehört und unaufdringlich interpretiert braucht diese Kammermusik den Vergleich mit dem Silberling-Nachbarn keineswegs zu scheuen. Schuberts Variationszyklus verlangt hier und dort zwar mehr Virtuosität (was bei Wegner und Kroeker niemals anstrengend tönt), doch Kuhlaus thematische Vielfalt und Originalität vermag der Österreicher nicht zu toppen. Mit dieser CD müßte Kuhlaus Fangemeinde eigentlich wachsen.

Wegner and Kroeker play elegantly and gracefully, and Wegner has a pleasant warm tone. This disc will be attractive to those who love fine flute playing...

This is a nice program. It includes six arrangements for flute and piano of Schubert lieder. The duo plays these arrangements with distinction, exploiting a wide range of tone colors. The Schubert variations are the centerpiece of the program, and this is one of the best interpretations I've heard in a while. It easily surpasses Emanuel Pahud on Naive and Kathleen Chastain on Skarbo. It also poses a serious challenge to my favorite, Emily Skala on Summit (324, July/Aug 2002: Brahms). Wegner plays with as much beauty in his sound and flexibility of tone and emotion. They both play with precise pitch. Skala has just a bit more warmth and power, and her recording includes the original 5th variation. I do like Wegner's tempos in variation 6, and his mixture of style and rubato in the final variation is something I've never heard done better. It is worth buying both discs, as the Schubert is the only piece they have in common. Skala includes transcriptions of two Brahms sonatas rather than the Kuhlau and the Schubert lieder here.