The Strenuous Life

Description:

Ever since the 18th century, violin and clavier together have been the mainstay of both chamber music and music in a more light-hearted vein. Sonatas and duets for violin and piano exist beyond number, and violin and piano were also one of the commonest instrumental combinations in lighter music, much of it of high quality and sometimes known in these connections as “restaurant music”. The heyday of the genre came about a century ago, before the days of steam radio and muzak, and this recording, in which violinist Bernt Lysell and pianist Urban join forces, recalls two internationally outstanding artists of the period, namely Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz.

Here Bernt Lysell displays the full span of his versatility.

In addition to evergreens by Fritz Kreisler and Scott Joplin, among others, with Urban Gärdborn at the piano – the CD also includes Cordes for violin and double bass, written by Bernt’s son Mattias Lyseell and with another son, Peter Lysell, on the double bass.

Tracklist:

Fritz Kreisler                               

1. Schön Rosmarin

2. March miniature Viennoise

3. Liebesleid

Mattias Lysell                                

4. Cordes /for violin and double bass/

C.R. Valdez                               

5. Serenade du Tsigane

Bach/Kreisler                      

6. Gavotte

L. Townsend/Kreisler arr. G. Saenger       

7. Berceuse

Mendelssohn-Kreisler                               

8. Lied ohne Worte

Dvorak-Kreisler                                       

9. Songs my mother taught me

Cyril Scott/Kreisler                                   

10. Lotusland

Leif Segerstam                                         

11. Poem

R. Drigo-J. Heifetz                                    

12. Valse Bluette

A. Glazunoff                                             

13. Méditation

Godowsky-Heifetz                                    

14. Alt-Wien

Vale-Heifetz                                              

15. Ao pé da fogueira

Castenuovo-Tedesco-Heifetz                    

16. Tango

Trad. arr J. Heifetz                                    

17. Deep River

M. Ponce/Heifetz                                      

18. Estrellita

Scott Joplin arr. I. Perlman                             

19. Elite Syncopations

20. The Strenuous Life

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