„Maria Loos proves two things simultaneously: tremendous virtuosity and stylistically confident playing of both early and twentieth century classical music. Runs and flourishes in Vivaldi sparkle like effervescent spring water with astonishing precision and sharpened articulation from sopranino, alto and tenor recorders. Witty agogic and funny flourishes provide varied baroque music, allowing the listener to forget Strawinsky’s verdict that Vivaldi composed a concert 600 times. She colourfully paints the moods of La Notte and portrays the moody chirping of the goldfinch in Il Gardellino with humour. In part she uses Vivaldi’s sheet music only as stimulus for imaginative improvisation – this transforms baroque scores into lively music. Ensemble Prisma, founded in 2004 under the leadership of the violinist Thomas Fheodoroff, accompanies the recorder player in an articulate and lively manner and complements her playing ideally.
These qualities are shown to even clearer advantage in Astor Piazzolla’s tangos. The instruments are played full of nuance and contrast with both abrupt and enticing tones; wild sound and rhythm effects are combined in an atmospheric manner. And Maria Loos tackles the tangos, superbly arranged by the Argentinean José Carli, with passion and temperament and surprising sound effects on the recorder.
The CD received the Austrian broadcasting company’s ‚Pasticcio Prize‘ – an award that the production rightly deserved. Listening to Vivaldi and Piazzolla (in unusual casting) becomes a true pleasure.