New Release Beau Soir

Janine & John in Washington, DC

THE release for 2011 (Beau Soir will be on all of the "best of" lists I predict!) came out last Tuesday, February 22nd, with violinist Janine Jansen and pianist Itamar Golan. I had a chance to talk with Janine about Beau Soir, and her New York performances at the NY Phil & le poisson rouge...listen to our conversation here: http://www.classicallyhip.com/sounds/JansenBeauSoir.mp3

We also talked about her documentary "Janine" and this promotional video for Beau Soir, Faure's After a dream:


She was delighted to include some new works by composer Richard Dubugnon on the new Decca cd, and has this interview with him:


With sonatas by Debussy and Ravel, this disc is appealing but the outstanding colors of Messiaen's Theme and variations has never been captured so vividly or passionately. Add gems with a nocturnal theme and this makes the perfect gift for anyone. Run, don't walk to download this release or get it at your local classical record retailer!

Christmas shopping for violin aficionados

Here's a list to help you find that right download or cd for someone special this holiday season who digs violin:

10. Viktoria Mullova/Guiliano Carmignola: Vivaldi Concerti for 2 violins (DG Archiv)

9. Lara St. John: Corigliano Red Violin Suite (Ancalagon)

8. Joshua Bell: Vivaldi Four Seasons (Sony)

7. Gil Shaham: Elgar Violin Concerto (Canary Classics)

6. Lisa Batiashvili: Beethoven Violin Concerto (Sony)

5. Leila Josefowicz: Knussen Concerto (DG)

4. Hilary Hahn: Schoenberg/Sibelius Concerti (DG)

3. Janine Jansen: Bach Itunes album -Trio Sonata & selections(Decca)

2. Janine Jansen: Shostakovich Quintet/Trio (Onyx)

1. Anne-Sophie Mutter: Bach Concerti/Gubaidulina In tempus praesens (DG)

Latest from Janine

JANINE JANSEN RECORDS FIRST EVER
EXCLUSIVE CLASSICAL ITUNES SESSION

International release date of March 18th coincides with appearances in New York, Los Angeles and Cincinnati

"Janine Jansen is the most exciting violinist of her generation - an artist for the iPod era." Der Spiegel

Violinist Janine Jansen has created an exclusive download session EP for digital music audiences. The all-Bach program called Live Session: Bach (Cat. No. 4780526) will be the first ever classical recording in the iTunes Sessions series. Janine Jansen has tailored the program specifically for digital download by selecting powerful chamber pieces, having already proven that their combination of intimacy and immediacy is particularly appealing to the digital music audience.

Janine Jansen has been dubbed "Queen of the Downloads" (The Independent, UK) following the breakout success of her chamber-sized performance of The Four Seasons in 2005, which broke into the US Top 20 albums on iTunes, becoming that year's top-selling digital classical album, and it remains a digital best-seller three years on. Her latest album Bach Inventions & Partita once again topped the iTunes classical charts around the world. The digital success story of artists such as Janine Jansen illustrates a trail-blazing dynamic for marketing and selling classical music online. Janine's prior recordings have already succeeded in building a digital audience beyond the traditional classical record buyer. The new recording Live Session: Bach presents a sensational new stride towards developing the audience even further.

Janine Jansen's iTunes exclusive Live Session: Bach, recorded in Berlin on 29th February 2008 includes the following repertoire:

- Gamba Sonata BWV 1027 for violin, viola, cello & harpsichord
- Violin Sonata BWV 1017 Siciliano for violin & harpsichord
- Violin Sonata BWV 1019a Cantabile, ma un poco Adagio for violin & harpsichord

The session also features Maxim Rysanov (viola) and Torleif Thedéen (cello), trio colleagues from Janine's recent Bach album Inventions & Partita, and her father Jan Jansen on harpsichord, who played with Janine in her best-selling album The Four Seasons.

Janine Jansen Upcoming North American tour dates:

March 14th-16th 2008 / Cincinnati / Britten Violin Concerto
March 20th-22nd 2008 / Los Angeles / Tchaikovsky Concerto

Party like it's...

2007...or your 37th birthday.
So things have been busy. Not only did I turn 37 on the 11th, but I'm taking a week off and am trying to get everything ready...add the many concerts, interviews, programming, and life in general and you get one eskimo that can barely keep up, more or less blog. So here goes...starting more recently.
The Harrisburg Symphony played a wonderful concert Sunday afternoon. Henry Fogel, president of the A.S.O.L., was on hand and gave ringing endorsements for the group and Stuart Malina. Here here! or Hear here!
[photo of the talkback with Fogel, the new english horn player, the new assistant principal violist, and Malina.]

Saturday night I went the premiere of the End of Winter by Chris Whittaker at the York Symphony. This 21 year old is one to watch (and listen!) Also on the program was Zuill Bailey, who I had met years ago in Las Vegas and had seen again on the east coast. Nice to see him and as the title of this blog entry notes, party.

Thursday I interviewed maestro Donald Runnicles , seen right. Hear our interview in two parts, both are mp3s and run about 7 minutes each: [part1] [part2]
I heard the Philadelphia Orchestra with Runnicles in a wonderful program: Messiaen Hymne; Bruch Violin Concerto #1 with Janine Jansen; and John Adams' Harmonielehre. Janine was stunning and remains in my estimation one of the great players of our time. Hear an interview of mine with her here.

I wound up doing my taxes on Tuesday night, April 17th about 11pm, and had server problems - luckily it went through. Small federal refund and small state due...

The previous weekend had goofy weather. So Saturday, before the deluge, I went to Princeton and interviewed David Little - watch for his upcoming episode on Composing Thoughts. Then I interviewed Lisa Bielawa in NYC, her episode is this week - be sure and catch it!
Then (still Saturday the 14th, really) I went down to Philadelphia and had dinner and drinks with friends from Las Vegas. Bob and Jory are dear to my heart and it was awesome to see them. [Pictured left at Farmicia]

Friday the 13th was uneventful - no bad luck that is- although we we fundraising at WITF. My friend and cohort in music Paul took me out for my birthday. We'll be playing alot over the summer - check us out Memorial Day weekend at ArtsFest and at Cornerstone Coffeehouse!

Thursday the 12th I had the pleasure of interviewing and hearing cellist Elinor Frey (pictured together on the right). She premiered a piece written for her by Steven Stucky called Dialoghi (or Dialogues); and also played Seven Butterflies by Kaija Saariaho. It'll be on Composing Thoughts in May - keep an eye and ear out! I also gave a talk that night to the A.A.U.W. in Camp Hill and then had a delightful dinner with Elinor at Mangia Qui (the second night in a row for me!) [see below]

Wednesday the 11th was the beginning of the end - just kidding! I had dinner and drinks with my good friends Bob and Sue (who I had just house sat for) at Mangia Qui, one of their, and one of mine, favorites in Harrsiburg.

We then went to the Whitaker Center and heard Quartetto Gelato (QG for short) in concert, which I introduced as emcee. (picture of the unique and nice setup from the stage on the right)

Afterwards I had a drink with Elinor (pictured left) the cellist of QG, and her colleagues arrived for more drinks and cigars. We talked music into the wee hours! What a birthday! Now you know what I've been up to rather than blogging!

And I'm thankful!

There's a nice article in many respects, about the generation of young women violinists:
The violin femmes
By Kyle MacMillan, Denver Post, Fine Arts Critic

You can read the entire article here.

You can also hear some of my interviews with these violinists, a blogposting and audio here for Janine; and here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for real audio files with Hilary.

Die Fliegende Hollanderin (tm)

Yes, the Flying Dutchwoman, hahaha...the amazing fiddle phenom, violinist Janine Jansen travels so much, I teased her about being "Die Fliegende Hollanderin" (tm).
The interview segments are now online at WITF, here. Enjoy!