A first record
There we are, recording our first album! It will be the culmination of many concerts, a residence within the Amarcordes concert season and several research workshops at Moulin en Clarens. We’ve gained much experience since 2006 and our first prize in Bruges, and we wish to devote this record to Mozart’s quintets with two violas.
These beautiful works represent an ideal challenge for us, and we will employ everything that makes the touch and personality of our group:
- the moving, clear and precise sound of gut strings
- a wide variety of articulations
- the use of intonation to emphasise contrasts and affects
- rhythmical rubato, which was so present in the time of Mozart!
We look forward to being able to complete this project soon, thanks to your warm support. We’d be pleased to offer you various rewards in return, and sincerely hope that they’ll fulfil your expectations. In advance, thank you very much for your commitment!
We are in residence!
We have obtained an artist residency at Villa Ruffieux (Valais), one week before recording, which will allow us to perfect our interpretation and prepare ourselves in the best possible conditions.
Then we’ll head to Temple du Brassus in the Jura mountains, and this is where our sound engineer Jean-Daniel Noir will come on the scene with his advanced recording equipment. We’ll have four days in an ideal acoustic to record two of Mozart’s six quintets! The label SwissMusicFactory has already agreed to publish our record in its MUSICA VERA series, but we need your help to support the production costs.
A record of quintets with TWO VIOLAS, how foolish?
A unique formation, a distinctive sound, an innovative interpretation … and… TWO VIOLAS!
It seems to be quite risk-taking, when one knows the countless jokes viola players have collected through time. Here are a few, as an appetiser:
- What is the definition of a gentleman? Someone who can play the viola, but refrains himself.
- What is the difference between a viola and an onion: Nobody cries when you cut out a viola.
- What is the connection between a flash of lightning and a viola player’s finger?
You never know where and when it strikes, but when it strikes, it hurts!
We bet that our viola players will take up the challenge!
Program
- Quintet in C minor K. 406
- Quintet in D major K. 593
Musicians
- Nicolas PENEL & Flavio LOSCO, violins
- Laurent GALLIANO & Cyprien BUSOLINI, violas
- Mathieu ROUQUIÉ, violoncello
- Jean-Daniel NOIR, sound ingineer