Why is it that great composers so often turn to the oboe at crucial moments? Perhaps there is something about the sound of the oboe that is emblematic of the human condition, and makes the oboe supremely capable of expressing human feelings.

Allan Vogel is one of America's leading wind soloists and chamber musicians. Hailed as "an aristocrat of his instrument, an oboe virtuoso with few equals," (Los Angeles Times) and "undoubtedly one of the few world masters" (San Diego Union), he is solo oboist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He has performed concerti with orchestras throughout the country and has been featured at the Chamber Music Northwest, Marlboro, Santa Fe, Aspen, Mostly Mozart, Summerfest, Sarasota and Oregon Bach festivals.

Obviously, Mr. Vogel is the best candidate to choose those works for oboe that best explore the many sounds of this instrument.

Listening once to this remarkable CD will make it clear how a musician such as Mr. Vogel came to be "obsessed" with the oboe, and may make the listener fall into a similar state!

Program includes:

• Saint-Saëns: Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Op. 166
• Poulenc: Sonata for Oboe and Piano
• Britten: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for Oboe Solo, Op. 49
• Schumann: Three Romances for Oboe and Piano, Op. 94
• W. F. Bach: Duet for Flute and Oboe, No. 4 in F Major
• Makoto Shinohara: Obsession for Oboe and Piano