“These performances, by Heinz Holliger and Marie-Lise Schüpbach, are simply astonishing in their fluency,” wrote UK magazine Gramophone of Holliger’s album Zwiegespräche, and the description applies with equal pertinence to con slancio, with its inspired and inspiring play of energies. The title piece, which opens the programme here, was written by the Swiss composer and nonpareil oboist as a tribute to musical partner Schüpbach: “Since I began playing in duo with Marie-Lise, I’ve been fascinated by the way our two instruments expand each other’s range and palette of tone colours. New sound paths have opened up for me.” 

The album includes premier recordings of six Holliger compositions  written between 2018 and 2020, as well as strongly contrasting pieces dedicated to him by fellow composers over the years. The earliest of these are Jürg Wyttenbach’s Sonate (1961) and Jacques Wildberger’s Rondeau (1962), and the most recent are György Kurtág’s aphoristic con slancio, largamente and Toshio Hosokawa’s evocative Musubi (Knots), both written to celebrate Holliger’s 80th birthday in 2019. 

Recorded at Zurich’s DRS Studio, con slancio continues the documentation of Heinz Holliger’s music at ECM New Series begun 40 years ago with the recording of his Mehrklänge für Oboe solo and other compositions in 1986.  Major works along the way have included the Scardanelli-Zyklus, the Violin Concerto Hommage à Louis Soutter, and the operas Schneewittchen and Lunea, among many others.

The CD booklet for con slancio includes an extensive interview with Heinz Holliger by Michael Kunkel, in German and English.

Heinz Holliger: Oboe, Cor Anglais, Vocals
Marie-Lise Schüpbach: Cor Anglais, Oboe

Tracklisting:
01. Holliger: con slancio
02. Hosokawa: Musubi
03. Holliger: Ständchen für Rosemarie

Wyttenbach: Sonate für Oboe solo
04. I. Langsam – Beschleunigend
05. II. Ruhig
06. III. Divertissement. Äusserst rasch
07. IV. Epilog. Sehr langsam

Holliger: à deux
08. Spiegel LIED (à deux)
09. LIED mit Gegenüber (contr'air)

10. Wildberger: Rondeau für Oboe Solo

Holliger: à deux
11. Fangis (fang mich)
12. à deux – Adieu

13. Kurtág: con slancio, largamente
14. Kelterborn: Duett für Oboe und Englisch Horn
15. Suter: Oh Boe für Oboe Solo