The Gaudier Ensemble - Jean Françaix - L'heure du berger, Divertissement, Clarinet Quintet, A huit (1998)

Jean Françaix made his career as a musical pastry chef. But never scorn great pastry. The amusements and delights of these pieces are considerable, ranging from the outright laughter at the end of the Clarinet Quintet's first movement (wonderfully laughed by clarinetist Richard Hosford) to the downright dizziness throughout The Shepherd's Hour to the affectionate Schubert tribute of For Eight (the same combination of instruments as Schubert's Octet). The Gaudier Ensemble, with a guest pianist from Domus, plays all this music with great affection and lightness of spirit, and the recording sparkles as much as the playing. You might not want to play all this rather similar music at once, but then again, you might. -- Leslie Gerber