Entendre
Entendre
Artist: duoW
Composers: Johan Halvorsen, Zoltán Kodály, Hubert Leonard, Maurice Ravel, Adrien Francois Servais, John Philip Sousa
Format: 1 CD + 1 Pure Audio Blu-ray
DSL-92171
In an extraordinary example of Sono Luminus’ commitment to unearthing neoteric and intriguing talent, we present the blockbuster team that is duoW in their debut album, Entendre. duoW presents five highly virtuosic works that challenge and redefine the limits and capabilities of the violin and cello partnership, and transport the listener through time, allowing them a glimpse into each composer’s world. The ingenuity of these composers evidences itself in the avant-garde techniques contained throughout these compositions, and by their brilliant and often humorous allusions to the vernacular and popular culture of their respective eras. The listener will hear tunes such as “Yankee Doodle,” “God Save the Queen,” “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” Handel’s ever-present G minor Passacaglia, and will recognize borrowed elements from the folk and jazz idioms.
duoW reflects the vision of these composers, redefining the concept of a duo ensemble with their dazzling technique, dynamic musicianship, and commitment to the future of classical music, which can be seen with this astonishing and inspiring debut album.
Violinist Arianna Warsaw-Fan and cellist Meta Weiss—duoW—burst onto the international music scene when their cutting edge music video, Ghosts and Flowers, went viral on the internet in the fall of 2011. Strongly committed to bringing classical music to new audiences, these two ambitious Juilliard grads launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of a dazzling music video which features their performance of the beautiful and highly virtuosic Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia.
Meta and Arianna have been performing together since they first met ten years ago at the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Both recent graduates of the Masters program at Juilliard, Meta and Arianna have both been recognized internationally for their astonishing musicianship and brilliant technique, garnering multiple awards and honors, and receiving recognition in major competitions around the world.
Track List
Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 — Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967)
1. Allegro serioso, non toppo 8:15
2. Adagio — Andante 7:56
3. Maestoso e largamente, ma non troppo lento — Presto 8:37
4. Passacaglia in G minor — Johan Halvorsen (1846-1935)
on a theme by George F. Handel (1685-1759) 6:58
5. Grand Duo de Concert — Adrien François Servais (1807-1866)
& Hubert Léonard (1819-1890) 13:20
Sonata for Violin and Cello — Maurice Ravel
6. Allegro 4:51
7. Très vif 3:27
8. Lent 6:15
9. Vif, avec entrain 6:03
10. The Stars & Stripes Forever, Duet for Violin and Cello —
John Philip Sousa (1852-1932), arr. Bruce Dukov (b. 1951) 4:05
Total time: 69:40
Release date: 2013
UPC: 053479217127
Quotes & Reviews
One of the joys of listening to chamber music is when the musicians are in total sync with each other. The two young women that form Duo W play as if they are one person. Also, probably because they are young, they put maximum emotion and energy into their performance. The best comparison I can think of are the Beethoven Piano Sonatas recorded by Perlman/Ashkenazy early in their careers. Those recordings were vibrant and alive as is the music on this CD.
Roger S. Gordon, Positive Feedback
“★★★★
Serious music and music-making are on display here.”
