Flutist Eugenia Moliner and guitarist Denis Azabagic are without a doubt one of my favorite Duos. Here they bring us The Folias of Spain by Marin Marais and the 12 Fantasias of Telemann with a guitar accompaniment composed by Alan Thomas... the music It sizzles, it cooks, it steams. Gorgeous sound and gorgeous playing delight the ear... be certain to check out their other recordings”
American Record Guide, January 2021
I believe that Marais would smile and nod approvingly at a performance executed with such sensitivity and as beautifully as this one is by Moliner and Azabagic.”
“With all due apologies to Herr Telemann, I fear that once you hear these performances of his flute fantasias with guitar accompaniment, you will never want to hear them unaccompanied again”
“The Cavatina Duo commissioned Thomas for these guitar accompaniments, and I think it was a commission well considered and well fulfilled. Eugenia Moliner, playing a modern flute, draws a tone from her instrument spun from pure silver. Her technique—intonation, breath control, evenness of tone across registers, and regulation of dynamic gradations—makes listening to Telemann’s wonderful fantasias a pure joy; and Alan Thomas’s guitar accompaniments, always discreet and stylistically appropriate, are played by Denis Azabagic with a touch and intuitive feel for Telemann’s music that make these pieces sound as if this is how they were originally conceived and always meant to be.
Winning, charming, delightful, beautiful—no other words to describe it”
Jerry Dubins-Fanfare magazine, USA,
The splendidly international coupling of Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner and Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagić offers playing of polish and panache.”
“Music noble and dignified, tender, lively, unstoppable: this sequence of Telemann Fantasias has it all, and the Cavatina Duo revels in each and every aspect. Flutist Eugenia Moliner’s articulation is a joy in and of itself…”
“The care lavished by the Cavatina Duo is remarkable, …it is hard to imagine a more satisfying or convincing take on Telemann’s work of genius than this one. Unhesitatingly recommended.”
Colin Clarke, Fanfare magazine, USA
Cavatina Duo, superb! She has it all: technique, intonation, emotion,…What we hear in this performance is the emotion, the awareness of what these two are creating together. To be an accompanist, one has to understand his role in this creation, and Azabagic clearly does. I am not sure that anyone alive can play the flute better than Eugenia Moliner. Five stars – a master class in flute and guitar technique.
David Reznik, Fanfare magazine, USA
There is much, much more to this disc, and I’ve but only hit a few highlights. The playing is fluid, well-balanced, and precise by the duo. The nimbleness of Moliner is matched by her easy and clear playing, making each work speak with excellent clarity. The guitar of Azabagic is the perfect partner, and here one finds a match in terms of style and tone that allows the music to come alive. Purists may quibble about the modern instruments and the artificiality of Thomas’s added accompaniment in the Telemann, but I find neither of these any issue. The liveliness of the playing, the reimagining of the fantasies in a way that brings new light to the pieces, and the holistic interaction between such outstanding performers makes this a disc that is sure to delight everyone who hears it.
5 stars: excellent playing and new light on reimagining the Baroque originals; it is hard to find two better and more copasetic players that Moliner and Azabagic.
Bertil van Boer, Fanfare magazine, US
Both (Marais and Telemann) are here played by flute and guitar. And how good they sound!
It is very clear how adventurous and diverse the Cavatina Duo is in its choice of repertoire. And, very impressively, they don’t sound as if they are merely ‘dabbling’ in any of it. They sound fully at home, completely in tune with all of the music they play....
The extra fluidity of the flute and its own distinctive kind of intimacy help, but above all one needs to credit the well-judged imagination of Eugenia Moliner’s playing, perceptive and essentially faithful to Marais, but also full of details unique to her instrument and her skill. The guitar part is also integral to the success of this version with Denis Azabagic...
The Cavatina Duo’s treatment of both Marais’ Folies d’Espagne and Telemann’s Twelve Fantasias is very definitely illuminating....Highly accomplished and perceptive interpretations of Folies d’Espagne and the Twelve Fantasias....
The whole is a delight from start to finish.”
Music Web International
Described by Gramophone as "relentlessly mellifluous" and by Grammy-winning producer and leading guitarist David Starobin as "simply the finest flute-guitar duo on the planet", the Cavatina Duo offer a recording for our times: music at once heartbreaking and uplifting.”
Click Musique
“Moliner is a flautist of tonal purity and dexterity who brings consummate taste to every phrase in tandem with Azabagic's glistening guitar… the disc finds the duo at the height of their musical powers.”
Donald Rosenberg, Gramophone Magazine
“The extra fluidity of the flute and its own distinctive kind of intimacy help, but above all one needs to credit the well-judged imagination of Eugenia Moliner’s playing, perceptive and essentially faithful to Marais, but also full of details unique to her instrument and her skill. The guitar part by Johannes Tappert is also integral to the success of this version, with Denis Azabagic having the opportunity to contribute some flamenco-like touches – a potent reminder of the Iberian origins of the folia. The Cavatina Duo’s treatment of both Marais’ Folies d’Espagne and Telemann’s Twelve Fantasias is very definitely illuminating… The whole is a delight from start to finish.”
Music web International
It’s a real challenge to take something very familiar and make it sound new... the Cavatina Duo successfully met that challenge"
"Eugenia Moliner plays with a full, round tone that adds to the beauty of the music. And Azabagic’s playing is as impeccable as always"
" If you’re familiar with these works, then you should definitely check out Cavatina Duo’s ...and if you’re not, well, you might not have to bother with others"
WTJU 91.1 FM - Ralph Graves
_Ms. Moliner made a terrific impression with pristine rapid runs…a flexibility of phrasing …the music allowed both players to shine equally, and to evince hand-in glove teamwork…Ms. Moliner was a veritable spitfire. No less welcome were Mr. Azabagic’s rich tone, fluid line and soulful phrasing…
IncidentLight.com – Mark Greenberg
_This was a different chamber music concert: only two musicians filling the temple with amazing technique and connecting with the audience in a particularly heartfelt way....The two musicians together were able to spin a mystical web of swirling cadenzas, irresistible tangos and superb sound"
San Antonio Chamber Music Society - E. Doyle
_A remarkable, expressive, emotive CD that takes the listener on a true journey of sound…All of the playing is inspirational, combining rich, gorgeous, colorful tone quality with impeccable phrasing, technique, and ensemble playing… Moliner and Ruhstrat play with such close ensemble that they might as well be one person…This album is a perfect medium for appreciating Moliner’s exquisite playing. Her control, her impeccable intonation, and her ability to blend seamlessly with subtle changes of tone color are second only to her expressive artistry. Every moment of the CD is entertaining, moving, and impressive! Read full review
The Flute Quarterly, US
_The two musicians perform seamlessly together, firing our imaginations with exotic new sounds...extraordinary artistry of flutist Eugenia Moliner, who is technically and musically the most extraordinary flutist I have ever heard...the incredible musical gifts of Azabagic...
The Cavatina Duo did nothing but astonish and delight....read full review.
Herald Tribune, Sarasota, FL
"...Lovely Playing, Relentlessly Mellifluous...and Exceedingly Pleasant..."
Gramophone
"...this pair is generally considered to be the best of them [flute-and-guitar duos].
The New Yorker Magazine
"Flutist Eugenia Moliner and guitarist Denis Azabagic are both phenomenal performers. They make the difficult sound effortless...
Eugenia Moliner performs with a pure, well-rounded tone, even at the extremes of the instrument’s register. Her runs and trills are seamless, and she brings a singing quality and expressiveness to these melodies that (given their origin) is quite appropriate.
Denis Azabagic’s playing is quite agile and clean; the essence of classical guitar technique. I especially enjoyed his performance in “The Carnival of Venice.” As a duo, this husband and wife team is perfectly in sync"
WTJU Richmond, US
"Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner and her Bosnian husband, guitarist Denis Azabagic, are consummate virtuosos not merely in their peerless technique but in sheer musicianship..."
" This duo’s liquid, dramatic, and highly expressive sensitivities soar with lyricism and infectious rhythms as they tour the constantly changing moods of this opera’s arias..."
"Moliner not only matches Joan Sutherland’s peerless full-voiced lyricism in the Verdi but is able to do things with her flute that a soprano can only dream of. And Azabagic is her Richard Bonynge, so expressive, integral, and orchestral in his guitar..."
"...Stunning artists..."
American Record Guide, US
"If there is a finer flute and guitar duo in the world than Cavatina Duo, I have not heard them. Denis Azabagic and (his wife) flutist Eugenia Moliner are both world class virtuosi and brilliant musical interpreters. And on their delightful disc of operatic arrangements they are immeasurably aided in most of the works by the inspired and creative work of composer and arranger Alan Thomas.
..Powerful performances... irresistible..."
Soundboard, US
"...Electrifying performances from the Cavatina Duo...will leave listeners feeling lighter than air. A delight"
Scene Magazine, UK
The performance was equal parts intensity and grace – often taking sharp turns in a roller-coaster ride of emotions. Cavatina Duo has Chamber music aplomb. These musicians clearly grappled with the emotional and intellectual challenges of the music on its own terms...Through Azabagic maintained the audience with a magnetic concentration and Moliner, too, had ample opportunity to flaunt her virtuosity.
The Austin Chronicle
With utterly breathtaking brilliance and a confidence that lets them take calculated risks in stride, the Cavatina Duo take us on an enchanted itinerary through some of the most luxuriant music of 19th century opera.
Phil’s Classical Reviews
"Eugenia Moliner is an excellent, exciting and imaginative flute player, totally in control of the sometimes ferocious technical demands of the scores and Denis Azabagic plays with both great virtuosity and sensitivity."
British Flute Society Magazine
"The playing is spectacular. Flutist Eugenia Moliner is yet another highly skilled flutist that I have never heard before, and now I want to hear more...Moliner has polished technique and a beautiful sparkling tone that is perfect for this music. Guitarist Denis Azabagic is an equal partner. I am always in awe of great guitarists who can play with impeccable intonation, beautiful phrasing, and flawless technique. Azabagic certainly fits that rare category."
American Record Guide
"What a fun, thoroughly magnificent recording!
The Cavatina Duo performs in a captivating manner, with nuance, Latin sensibilities, and expressiveness that is out of the ordinary. The works included a version of the Tango-Etudes for flute and guitar...not to be missed.
Moliner is a fantastic flutist. Every note she plays is part of the story. She weaves a line with colors, vibrato use or the lack thereof, and a sensuality that is exactly what this music requires. The ensemble between her and guitarist Denis Azabagic is tight - they play as one.
I can't recommend this recording highly enough. It is a masterclass in musicality from track 1 through track 15"
Flute Talk Magazine
"Style, sympathy, and technical aplomb... it's doubtful that the Cavatina's sophisticated and artistic playing could be surpassed...There’s more potential in the union of flute and guitar than is commonly realized, and this CD provides an incentive to investigate additional repertoire. Cavatina has inspired and commissioned new music of this type and I, for one, look forward to hearing it as soon as possible. Warmly recommended."
Fanfare
"Denis Azabagic and Eugenia Moliner are excellent instrumentalists and sensitive musicians. Their playing is clean and expressive."
Sequenza 21
"Cavatina Duo worked a kind of magic with their instruments. The atmosphere created by the music quite overshadowed the notes themselves. When they played Takemitsu, for a brief moment, without stage sets, costumes or lights, we were by the sea; it was night. The Cavatina played ‘Histoire du tango,’ tracing that seductive dance from its origins in the bordello all the way through to its now very respectable place on the concert stage. In between there were plenty of bright and tuneful jazz melodies, executed deftly back and forth between the two artists. The collaborative powers of this couple are extraordinary."
Mundelein Review, Sun-Times News Chicago
"Cavatina Duo exhibited charm, passion as well as superb technique. Both Moliner and Azabagic retain their own voices, though they seem to inhabit the music. The resulting performance is a welcoming counterpoint of two distinct, complementary personalities and their ability to fade in and out of nowhere was entrancing."
The Columbus Dispatch
"The interplay between Moliner’s flute and Azabagic’s guitar is impressive."
Music Web international
"These mates share unerring technical skill and an understanding of the emotional intentions in the music—not to mention an X factor of duo synchronicity."
Santa Barbara Independent
"An evening of music that was varied, entertaining and performed with exceptional virtuosity and panache. Moliner's flute complimented Azabagic's efforts—the sort of near perfect plunking we have come to expect from the world-class artists the Society consistently brings—beautifully."
Fort Worth Star Telegram
"A Perfect Meeting of Minds...Bravissimo...a deeply worked-out blending of sound, reciprocity of phrasing, and songlike naturalness in musical dialogue. "
Seicorde
"Ms. Moliner is the perfect foil for Azabagic's flawless technique: She is as formidable a player as he is—no small compliment—and her vivacious stage presence is icing on the cake. What a treat!"
Soundboard Magazine
"Their Piazzolla performance is vibrant and colorful, demonstrating their quality with its well-judged phrasing and rhythmic emphasis. Excellent technical control and convincing intensity that creates a haunting atmosphere. Highly recommended!"
Classical Guitar Magazine
"The Cavatina Duo, Eugenia Moliner and Denis Azabagic, take to the Piazzolla pieces with sensual sounds and an earthy musical understanding of the genre. They play with warm, resonant sounds. Their sometimes playful, sometimes soulful approach to the tangos is just what the pieces need...This pair serves up a rich selection of flute and guitar repertoire with a hand-in-glove style of playing."
American Record Guide
"Once in a while a disc arrives for review that is so stunning I want only to tell people to go and buy it. This is one such disc...This wonderful disc has scarcely been out of my CD player since it arrived. The energy levels behind this playing are breathtaking, the ensemble playing is superb and the program is fascinating...Moliner is an artist of the highest caliber...Denis Azabagic is one of the best guitarists I have heard."
British Flute Society Magazine
Cavatina Duo, their instruments, Flute and Guitar,...Their talent, limitless. A triumph.
Vanguard review
Moliner and Azabagic performed a wonderful recital through their unique interpretation and repertoire.
The Lawrentian news