Timothy Ridout / Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne / Jamie Phillips BRITTEN | VAUGHAN WILLIAMAS | HINDEMITH | MARTINU

BRITTEN | VAUGHAN WILLIAMAS | HINDEMITH | MARTINU

Finghin Collins / Rosanne Philippens / István Várdai / Máté Szücs MOZART Piano Quartets

PIANO QUARTETS

Helga Váradi / Plamena Nikitassova / Jörg-Andreas Bötticher NANNERL MOZART

The music and personality of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart have always been very close to my heart. I could not have predicted, however, that the late 18th century would become alive to me beyond his music and his life.

In 2017, the Swiss dressmaker Christian Tanner created a historical women’s collection in the style of the 1780s-90s that was completely sewn by hand and for which I became the face and the inspiration. The transformation that came through wearing these gowns, having historical “tower” hairdos created with my own hair, induced a feeling of magical connection between the past and the present that led me to wonder: What must have been the sense of self of a woman at that time? How must she have sat at her instrument, constrained by the tightness of her corset and how could she move her hands? By actively participating in historical reenactments like candle-light soirées, dances and leisurely walks, Mozart’s daily life as I imagined it to be, based on his surviving family correspondences, started to take a clearer shape. Through these experiences, I started feeling connected to the woman who in 1780 was the same age as myself today and who shared a most intimate relationship with Wolfgang, even before his first wife: His sister Nannerl.

Owing to these experiences, it became clear to me that I needed to let the world of Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart come alive on my next CD. The short film Name Day, that I realized after my own concept in the summer of 2018, visually accompanies the music of the CD. I thus created an additional connection for the music-loving listener by portraying a day in the life of the Mozart family in Salzburg as it was documented in authentic sources. Nannerl’s diary entries carry information about whom she spent the 30th of July 1783 – her Name Day – with and they describe the delicious culinary gifts she got from her brother in great detail.1

During the preparations, it became clear to me that the CD should focus not only on Nannerl’s personality, but also on the relationship between the siblings. Their closeness can be seen clearly in the way Nannerl’s extraordinary talent is reflected in her brother’s music that serves as a monument to both of them.

Anastasia Kobekina / Berner Symphonieorchester / Kevin John Edusei SHOSTAKOVICH - WEINBERG - KOBEKIN

The Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina is a multiple prize winner at international competitions. In 2018, she was awarded the Prix Thierry Scherz and the Prix André Hoffmann at the Swiss winter music festi­val “Sommets musicaux de Gstaad”, which includes a recording with orchestra for the Swiss recording label Claves. In the same year, Anastasia was selected by BBC 3 to join the BBC New Generation scheme from 2018 to 2020.

In 2016, she won the soloist prize of the renowned German festival „Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern“ and the 2nd prize at the George Enescu Competition in Bukarest. In 2015, Anastasia Kobekina won the 1st prize at Germany’s most important International Youth Competition “Tonali15 Music Competition” (Hamburg). As a result of this competition success, Anastasia earned €10.000 prize money and a violoncello made by G. B. Guadagnini loaned for three years. Additionally, in her home country, Anastasia also was the first-prize winner of several international competitions, such as the television contest “Nutcracker” in 2007 and the competition “New names” (2008).

Hungarian Symphony Orchestra / Alain Pâris PIERRE WISSMER Oeuvres Concertantes

During the first half of the twentieth century, many Swiss Romandy composers received parallel training in Germany and then in Paris, maintaining often afterwards, respective ties with both the Latin and German poles of their homeland. This was the case of Frank Martin. For the Genevan Pierre Wissmer, it was France, and this country alone, which would be his home base, in his life as in his creative aesthetics.

Born in Geneva, Pierre Wissmer (1915-1992) studied music at the Conservatory of his native city, before leaving for Paris in 1935. He first worked with Roger-Ducasse, then acquired an authentic professional experience in Daniel-Lesur’s class of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum. Over the years his style which could be defined as neo-classical, tended to move away from tonality and take on a more introspective language, particularly evidenced by his last symphonies. However, within this evolution, the perfection and refinement of contrapuntal writing and instrumentation are ever present in Wissmer’s art.

Caroline Goulding / Symphonieorchester / Kevin John Edusei KORNGOLD & MOZART Violin Concertos

 For nearly a decade, the virtuoso violinist Caroline Goudling has performed with the world’s premier orchestras, in recital and on record and has blossomed from “precociously gifted” (Gramophone) 13-year-old soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra to “a skilled violinist well on her way to an important career” (Washington Post).

"Re-emerging from a seven-month pause from concertizing to focus her attention on meditative practices and the merging of meditation and music, Caroline is reopening the 2018 season with the release of her third album on Claves Records." Caroline has studied with Christian Tetzlaff, Donald Weilerstein, Paul Kantor, Joel Smirnoff and Julia Kurtyka. A past member of the Stradivari Society, Caroline currently plays a Giovanni Battista Rogeri (1675), courtesy of Peter and Cathy Halstead.

Ann Roux / Marieanne Lee / Lionel Desmeules NICOLAS CAPRON Premier Livre de Sonates à Violon Seul et Basse

Nicolas Capron dedicated his First book of sonatas for violin solo and basso continuo to the Count of Lauraguais, a man of intelligence and extravagant figure, immensely rich and learned. Here, we are continually impressed and moved by the composer’s extraordinary abundance and expressive variety of musical motifs; were there words, it would be akin to taking part in a musical drama displaying a complete range of emotions, from tragical to comical. Capron chisels each of his propositions by finely combining mode, range, rhythm, accompaniment, and then multiplies its expression by juxtaposing motifs with contrasting affects. He enhances his writing with numerous technical prowesses that also contribute to its expressivity, in particular the use of the highest pitch of the violin, which can produce the effect of an echo, of surprise or moving fragility. Graceful and unexpected passages in staccato-legato also appear here and there to charm the listener. Often, his fast movements include developments with raging arpeggios, as dazzling as formidable; his slow movements are moving both by their simplicity and trueness of expression. In one word, the Capron sonatas are a magnificent example of galant style music.

Ursula Duetschler CLAUDE BÉNIGNE BALBASTRE Pieces de Clavecin - Premier Livre

Claude Bénigne Balbastre earned fame in 18th century Paris as virtuoso on the harpsichord and organ as well as composer. He was organist at Saint-Roch (1756), Notre-Dame (1760), Chapelle royale, organist to the brother of the king (the future Louis XVIII) and harpsichordist to the Duke of Chartres and Marie-Antoinette. Balbastre was also the titular organist to the royal abbey Panthémont, where he gave lessons to young students from France’s richest and most powerful families, the names of which echo in the titles which he gave to many of his compositions for harpsichord, as in the first volume of his Pièces de clavecin. 

Their refined and elegant style provide evidence of his originality while also pointing to his faithfulness to the tradition of François Couperin. Ursula Duetschler performs these works on an 18th century French harpsichord (Couchet-Blanchet-Taskin) from the collection of Kenneth Gilbert in the Chartres Museum. (Claves Records)

Finghin Collins CHOPIN RECITAL

Chopin was a voluntary exile from his native Poland. Born into relative affluence in Żelazowa Wola west of Warsaw, his father Nicolas was French. Due partly to political upheaval, he left home when he was twenty. Staying for a while in Vienna, he secured a passport to Paris where he settled in October 1831. Once in situ, he became the idol of the aristocracy and was soon the friend of leading writers, painters and musicians. Yet, despite the glamorous and intellectual support of his surroundings, Chopin was lonely at heart. He expressed his nostalgia for Poland through his piano music in which he created a new idiom and performance technique.

Finghin Collins’s programme on this CD covers the major period of Chopin’s artistic activity and demonstrates the influence of Italian opera, particularly that of Bellini’s sophisticated bel canto style, and his own inherent dramatic impulses. (Claves Records)

Helga Váradi BARTÓK & BAROQUE

"I recall as a young boy my father taking me to visit a family friend in Budapest, Elizabeth Láng, in order to show me a harpsichord. Both my father and I were intrigued by the instrument, especially the capability of coupling the keyboards. He later indicated in his preface to Mikrokosmos that ten of its piano pieces were suitable for playing on the harpsichord. I am grateful to Helga Váradi for bringing these pieces and others to life on this recording.” (Peter Bartók; Homosassa, Florida; March 2017)

Esther Hoppe / Alasdair Beatson MOZART & POULENC Works for Violin & Piano

The Swiss violinist Esther Hoppe is amongst the most interesting artists of her generation. Highly acclaimed by the press for her beautiful tone, her exceptional stylistic assurance and her sensitive yet virtuosic performances she always lets her stupendous technique serve the purest music making.

After studying in Basel (Musik-Akademie Basel), Philadelphia (Curtis Institute of Music), London (Guildhall School of Music and Drama) and Zürich (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste) she went on to win 1st Prize at the 8th International Mozart Competition Salzburg. Soon after she founded the Tecchler Trio with whom she concertized intensively until 2011. The trio won several first prizes at important competitions, such as 1st prize at the ARD-competition in Munich in 2007.

Since 2013 Esther Hoppe is professor for violin at the University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. She leads an exciting concert calendar and performs as a soloist with Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Münchener Kammerorchester, Orchestre Les Siècles Paris, Kammerorchester Basel, Zürcher Kammerorchester amongst others, and her chamber music partners include Clemens and Veronika Hagen, Nicolas Altstaedt, Vilde Frang, Heinz Holliger, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Alexander Lonquich, Christian Poltéra and Ronald Brautigam.Esther Hoppe is a regular guest at festivals such as Lockenhaus, Ernen, Luzern, Gstaad, Delft, Prussia Cove, Styriarte etc.

After her first CD for Claves records (2014, with works by Mozart and Strawinsky with pianist Alasdair Beatson) was highly acclaimed by the press, a second CD with sonatas by Mozart and Poulenc will be released by Claves records in January 2017, again together with pianist Alasdair Beatson. She has also recorded with Virgin Classics, Neos, Concentus Records, and Ars Musici.

Esther Hoppe plays on a 1690 Gioffredo Cappa violin. She lives with her family in Zürich.

Anaïs Gaudemard / Orchestre de l'Opéra de Rouen Normandie / Leo Hussain GINASTERA - DEBUSSY - BOIELDIEU Harp Concertos

An internationally recognized soloist, Anaïs Gaudemard quickly stood out in the musical world among the best current harpists.

In 2012, she wins the First Prize at the prestigious International Harp Contest in Israel, and the special award for the best interpretation of The Crown of Ariadne by Murray Schafer, then in 2016 she wins the 2nd Prize and the Münchener Kammerorchester Prize at ARD Competition in Munich.

 In 2015, Anaïs wins the « Thierry Scherz Prize » at the Festival des Sommets Musicaux in Gstaad. This prize, awarded by the Foundation Scientia Pro Arte, offers to her the opportunity to record a CD with orchestra. Anaïs has chosen to dedicate it to the Concertos for Harp by Debussy, Boieldieu and Ginastera with the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Rouen Normandie. It will be released the November 4, 2016 on the Claves Records label.

Anaïs Gaudemard has the privilege to collaborate with orchestras such as the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the Münchener Kammerorchester, the Symphonie-Orchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Rouen Normandie ; under the direction of Claudio Abbado, Leonard Slatkin, Kazushi Ono, Nir Kabaretti, Leo Hussain, Emmanuel Krivine, Constantin Trinks. She performs as soloist and gives master classes in China, Canada, Israel, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, USA, …

Anaïs Gaudemard studied at the CNSMD in Lyon, France (First prize unanimously awarded with the congratulations of the jury in 2013) then she continued her studies at the HEMU in Lausanne where she obtained the Master of Arts specialized « Soloist » with the highest honors and the First Jost Prize which recognizes the best performance of a concerto in 2015.

Since 2014, she is laureate of the Fondation d’Entreprise Banque Populaire which grants her an award to pursue this commitment in creation and the command of works for the harp.