Marianna Vassilieva - Two Violins - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Contreras / Momenta Quartet - Instantes [COMPACT DISCS] date 09/25/2007

In her solo album TWO, violinist and violist Elisabeth Kufferath presents compositions of four contemporary composers, each represented by one work for the violin and one work for the viola. The number of correspondences one can find is striking relationships between composers, interpreters, compositions, and instruments, stretching throughout the centuries and into our own. The more one searches, the more one can find. Elisabeth Kufferath is possible one of the very few soloists to promote the Violin and viola literature of the contemporary composers. Three of the pieces are actually written for her. Three pieces are world premiere recordings

Isaac Stern's career as a solo artist, chamber musician, and much else was remarkable. These CDs, of his live performances is an eloquent testament to his musical insights, technical command and He was born in 1920, in Krzemieniec, now in Ukraine. A year later his parents came to San Francisco. Violin lessons began at eight, with Naoum Blinder. His Town Hall debut in 1937 was followed by a Carnegie Hall debut in 1943. He was the first American artist to tour the former Soviet Union. His campaign to save Carnegie Hall began in 1960. The Six-Day War of 1967 saw his iconic performance with Leonard Bernstein on Mount Scopus. His involvement with Hollywood, which began in 1948 in Humoresque, and in 1971, in Fiddler on the Roof. He recorded prolifically and received countless honors and tributes. Isaac Stern passed away at the age of 81. Born in 1948 in Tel Aviv, Pinchas Zukerman's earliest musical influence was his father. At 8 he began studies with Ilona Feher. When Stern and Casals heard the prodigy in 1961, they recommended he study in New York with Galamian. In 1967 he shared first prize at the Leventritt Competition, and debuted at Lincoln Center two years later. Since then, he has had a remarkable career as a solo violinist, violist, conductor, and chamber musician. From 1980 to 1987 he was the music director of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 1998 he became music director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Zukerman has recorded over a hundred albums, earning 2 Grammy awards and 21 nominations. Among his honours is the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence in Classical Music.