Auerbach & Descours & Kouider - Bassoon Steppes (CD)

Bassoonist Lola Descours, prize-winner of the prestigious Tchaikovsky competition in 2019, performs an all-Russian program of music transcribed for bassoon and piano. A passionate advocate for the bassoon and it's often underestimated capacity for colour and expression, Lola Descours performs repertoire of great variety, including Glinka, considered to be the first great Russian composer, as well as lyrical Tchaikovsky, romantic Rachmaninov, powerful Scriabin and sardonic Shostakovich. The program is brought up to date with a dream-like piece by contemporary Russian composer Lera Auerbach. Lola Descours is partnered in this recital by pianist Paloma Koulder, with whom she has made several of the arrangements heard on the album.