Dutch violinist Janine Jansen, South Korean pianist Sunwook Kim, and the string quartet based in Oslo, Norway, Opus13 perform Ernest Chausson’s Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21. Recorded on December 30, 2022, during the final concert of the Internationaal Kamermuziek Festival Utrecht (International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht) in TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht.
Performers:
- Janine Jansen, violin
- Sunwook Kim, piano
- Opus13:
- Sonoko Miriam Welde, violin
- Edvard Erdal, violin
- Michael Andreas Grolid, viola
- Daniel Thorell, cello
Chausson’s Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet
French Romantic composer Ernest Chausson (20 January 1855 – 10 June 1899) composed the piano sextet Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21 (French: Concert pour piano, violon et quatuor à cordes) between 1888 and 1891.
The work was first performed in Brussels on 26 February 1892, with the Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor Eugène Ysaÿe (16 July 1858 – 12 May 1931) taking the solo violin part. The work was well received. Chausson wrote in his diary:
“I must believe that my music is made for Belgians above all, for never have I enjoyed such a success […] I feel giddy and joyful, such as I have not managed to feel for a long time […] It seems to me that I shall work with greater confidence in the future.”
There are four movements:
- Décidé – Animé
- Sicilienne: Pas vite
- Grave
- Très animé.
Related: Chausson – Poème, Op. 25 [Anna Tifu]
Sunwook Kim
Sunwook Kim came to international recognition when he won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006, aged just 18, becoming the competition’s youngest winner for 40 years, as well as its first Asian winner.
His performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Hallé Orchestra and Sir Mark Elder in the competition’s finals attracted unanimous praise from the press.
Since then, he has established a reputation as one of the finest pianists of his generation, appearing as a concerto soloist in the subscription series of some of the world’s leading orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker, Berlin Radio Symphony, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Finnish Radio Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Orchestra of Wales, Radio-France Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, Hallé Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for his BBC Proms debut in Summer 2014.
Conductor collaborations include Karina Canellakis, Nathalie Stutzmann, Thomas Sondergard, Tugan Sokhiev, Daniel Harding, Paavo Jarvi, David Afhkam, Edward Gardner, John Elliot Gardiner, Myung-Whun Chung, Osmo Vänskä, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Kirill Karabits, Marek Janowski, Sakari Oramo, Andrew Manze, Vassily Sinaisky, Paavo Järvi, Michael Sanderling, Yuri Bashmet and Sir Mark Elder.
Opus13
Opus13 is one of Scandinavia’s most promising, up-and-coming young string quartets. Formed in 2014 at the Barratt Due Institute of Music, the quartet comprises Sonoko Miriam Welde, Edvard Erdal, Michael Andreas Grolid, and Daniel Thorell.
In 2022 they were awarded 2nd Prize at the prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition. In addition to concert appearances in France, Sweden, and Denmark, they have performed at numerous festivals, including Bergen International Festival, Rosendal Festival, Risør Kammermusikkfest, and Stavanger Chamber Music Festival.
Opus13 has collaborated with international top musicians such as Olli Mustonen, Julian Bliss, Alisa Weilerstein, Tabea Zimmermann, Jonathan Biss, Marianna Shirinyan, and Konstantin Heidrich. They have regular lessons with Berit Cardas and Bjørg Lewis of the Vertavo Quartet and have benefitted from masterclasses with many of the world’s leading chamber musicians, including members of the Belcea Quartet, Quatuor Ébène, Artemis Quartett, Oslo String Quartet and Quatuor Mosaïques.
In their early years, Opus13 received invaluable support and performing experience from the Oslo Quartet Series’ Talent Program and the Crescendo Mentor Program. In January 2022 they made their official debut at the Oslo Quartet Series with an exciting program featuring works by Haydn, Brahms, and Adès. The Opus13s are founders and artistic directors of “Vinterspill på Lillehammer”, a chamber music festival in the iconic winter town of Lillehammer.
Highlights of the 2022/2023 season include a performance of Ernest Chausson’s Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet with Janine Jansen and Sunwook Kim at the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht, and a recital at Bergen International Festival.
Sources
- Concert for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet on Wikipedia
- Sunwook Kim’s Official Website
- Opus13’s Official Website
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