Cédric Tiberghien, the pianist on this album, won the First Prize and five special prizes at the prestigious Long-Thibaud Competition in Paris in 1998.
Performer Biography
Antoine Tamestit, a highly sought-after violist, plays on the Stradivarius Viola 'Mahler' from 1672, which is loaned to him by the Habisreutinger Foundation.
Interpretation
The album's concept, 'bel canto la voix de l'alto' (the voice of viola), draws inspiration from the human voice and opera, featuring arrangements of arias by Bellini and Donizetti.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Hector Berlioz, a fervent supporter of the viola, described its timbre as 'deeply melancholy, and different from that of the other bowed string instruments'.
Composer Biography
Niccolò Paganini, a flamboyant violin virtuoso, composed a Sonata per la Gran' Viola ed orchestra in 1834, blazing a trail for other virtuosos like Mazas and Vieuxtemps to embrace the viola.
Historical Context
Before the mid-19th century, the viola did not require specific expertise, leading many violinists to play it, sometimes due to a fondness for its timbre, or, as Antoine Elwart claimed in 1861, as a last resort.
Historical Context
During French Romanticism, the viola, an instrument often relegated to secondary roles, began to be recognized for its potential by composers and music writers.
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Shostakovich, D.: Viola Sonata / Rachmaninov, S.: Cello Sonata, Op. 19 (Arr. for Viola and Piano)
Alto appassionato
English Music for Viola: Rebecca Clarke, Britten & Vaughan Williams
Schumann, R.: Fairy Tales / Britten, B.: Reflections On A Song of John Dowland / Bunch, K.: Suite for Viola and Piano
