“Two x Four”:
- Jennifer Koh (violin), Jaime Laredo (violin) perform.
Violinist Jennifer Koh and her mentor, Jaime Laredo, perform several selections in “Two x Four”, an album of four double-violin concertos, performed with the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble conducted by Vinay Parameswaran.
We hear the following selections:
Bach, J S:
- Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV1043
- Prince of Clouds
- Echorus
- Seasons Lost
Performed by the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble, Vinay Parameswaran conducting.
The cornerstone of this CD is the J.S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043, an innovative work that introduced new ways for two solo violins to converse with each other and with the accompanying orchestra.
Ms. Koh and Mr. Laredo jump from the Baroque period to the late 20th-century for Philip Glass’ interesting work titled “Echorus” on the theme of compassion.
Two new works commissioned expressly for this project receive their world premiere recordings: Anna Clyne’s impressionistic ‘Prince of Clouds’ is “a winner . . . . This is music one can listen to again and again and find new things to appreciate each time” (Chicago Tribune).
David Ludwig’s evocative ‘Seasons Lost’, a contemporary counterpart to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, is “full of beautiful ideas contrasting with playful/menacing Vivald-type gestures” (Philadelphia Inquirer).
“Two x Four” mirrors the performers’ groundbreaking concert program of the same name, which they recently toured across the U.S.
These two violinists are excellent in their own right, and their sensitive communication in the Bach is evident in every passage played. Their playing is energetic, sensitive, and expressive.
Here are Glenn Gould, Piano, and Jaime Laredo, Violin, performing the wonderful 3rd Movement of Bach’s sonata number 2:
And next, here is music from this interesting CD:
Tags: Jennifer Koh, Jaime Laredo, Bach, “Two x Four”, Philip Glass, Anna Clyne