An outstanding Danish chamber ensemble puts together a unique compilation of chamber pieces by one of Messiaen's overshadowed contemporaries.

The music of André Jolivet (1905-1974) is slowly being revived after decades of neglect, allowing us to discover a distinctive voice in the kaleidoscopic diversity of 20th century French music. Jolivet never followed some of his better-known contemporaries - including Messiaen - down the path of serialism, but his harmonic technique exerted a hidden influence on them (including the young Pierre Boulez). The Serenade (1945) for wind quintet, which opens this collection of chamber music, exudes a mystical mood in its opening Cantilene before erupting into wild instrumental laughter in the Caprice. The world of Poulenc and Stravinsky is not that far away, but Jolivet's compositions have a grounded density that is completely individual.

The Controversia for oboe and harp from 1968 shows Jolivet at his most gesturally experimental, utilizing the combined talents and innovative techniques of Heinz and Ursula Holliger. The agitations and confrontations of Controversia could hardly have been foreseen by the composer of the thoughtful miniatures that make up Petite Suite (1941) for flute, viola and harp, in the style of Debussy's late sonata. Indeed, the collection as a whole serves as a revealing demonstration of Jolivet's range and development over the course of a career that spanned the turbulent aesthetic struggles of the last century. The Pastorales de Noël (1943) for flute, bassoon and harp fulfill the requirement of picturesque and festive illustration, while the Sonatinas for flute and clarinet (1961) and oboe and bassoon (1963) swing back and forth between their instruments with unpredictable Stravinsky-esque suppleness. Modal and exotic scales, Spanish rhythms, Debussyan sensuality: all these different elements and more keep the listener (and the musicians) on their toes in this music. The album is enriched by a new essay by Paul Griffiths, an outstanding expert on new and modern music.

André Jolivet (1905-1974) is considered one of the most interesting French composers of the 20th century. His extensive oeuvre encompasses almost all musical genres. He was open to all musical genres (he never had a proper conservatory education) and developed a personal style that was clearly avant-garde.

This new recording presents a selection of chamber music in which the flute plays a prominent role: Serenade for wind quintet, Sonatine for flute and clarinet, Petite Suite for flute, viola and harp, Pastorale de Noel for flute, bassoon and harp and other shorter pieces: Music full of dazzling colors, lively and vivacious, but also alternately cheerful and melancholy. Played with astonishing virtuosity and joie de vivre by the Danish ensemble MidtVest.