Two superb classical musicians with strong St. Louis ties have new recordings, each featuring chamber music: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra principal flute Mark Sparks and internationally noted violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, daughter of former Webster University president Richard Meyers.

Meyers is the featured soloist in next weekend's concerts by the SLSO, when she'll perform in a rather different work, Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3, K. 216. This recital album, played with her usual intelligence and beautiful singing tone, brings together a collection of varied works. They show some of Meyers' range and taste, as well as a disinclination to simply put together a collection of standard fare.

The album begins with Debussy's "Clair de Lune," along with an arrangement of Wagner's "Traume (Dreams)" and Beethoven's Sonata No. 5 for Violin and Piano, before moving to the 'seasons" of the title: spring (the traditional Japanese folksong "Sakura," intriguingly arranged by Gene Pritsker), summer ("Summertime"), autumn (Vernon Duke's "Autumn in New York" and Joseph Kosmo's "Tenderly/Autumn Leaves") and winter (Alfred Schnittke's disturbing take on "Silent Night"). Familiar works by Debussy and Faure round it out.

Pianist Reiko Uchida and harpist Emmanuel Ceysson are fine collaborators. It's all played in ways that grab the brain as well as the ear, and the world needs more of that.

Equally welcome is Sparks' "Fantasie," a showcase for the flutist's renowned golden tone. He mixes some Faure and Schumann (in transcription) with Ernest Bloch's "Suite Modale," a selection of new works well-suited to Sparks' sound and technique and one of the best renditions of Debussy's "Syrinx" that I have heard. Clinton Adams provides a subtly supportive accompaniment on piano.

St. Louis is fortunate to have Sparks at Powell Symphony Hall week in and week out; this new recording lets us hear another side of an outstanding artist.