IDAGIO | Eight Strings - Present 4260034868373

Featuring

Valeria Nasushkina
Mikael Samsonov
Eight Strings
Johan Halvorsen
Ondřej Kukal
Tim Ströble

Giovanni Battista Cirri
Erwin Schulhoff
Maurice Ravel

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

The movement chosen by Halvorsen for his variations is from Handel's Harpsichord Suite HWV 437, which became a timeless catchy tune thanks to its use in Stanley Kubrick's 1975 film 'Barry Lyndon'.

Album & Artwork

The album title 'Present' (German: 'Geschenk') was chosen for its double meaning, representing both the duo's current presence and the music as a virtuoso gift.

Critical Reception

Maurice Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Violoncello, dedicated to the late Debussy, was called a 'massacre' by the press after its premiere, indicating its groundbreaking quality.

Recording & Production

The album was recorded in 2010/2011 at the Clara-Wieck-Auditorium, Tonstudio Teije van Geest, Sandhausen, with Günter Appenheimer as the recording engineer.

Composition History

Johan August Halvorsen's 'Sarabande con variazioni' was written in 1898, freely adapted from Handel, and was encouraged by Ferruccio Busoni, a renowned composer and pianist.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Erwin Schulhoff, whose 'Zingaresca' is featured, believed that music should primarily provide physical pleasure and ecstasy, with its roots in emotion and expression in rhythm.

Performer Biography

Eight Strings, comprised of Valeria Nasushkina and Mikael Samsonov, won top prizes at several international competitions, including the 'Gaetano Zinetti' and 'Marco Fiorindo' International Competitions.