I first heard Michael Martin Kofler back in 1994 or so at a flute convention in Frankfurt am Main. He had already held his job as Principal Flute with the Munich Philharmonic for some years and his performance (of Rodrigo’s Flute Concerto, no less) was amazing. Just brutally, relentlessly powerful but also gorgeous playing.
And so he is in Jeux à Deux: Recital for Flute and Harp. Lots of seamless, effortless beauty. An impeccable golden tone somewhat in the manner of James Galway. A luminous tone in Ibert’s Pièce in particular but also lots of delicate playing in his Bach interpretations.
I often forget the level of refinement but also intensity players like Kofler can show. The quality and intensity of his playing is something I need to remind myself of in my day-to-day playing and teaching.