New CD by Gil Shaham - Sarasate: Virtuoso Violin Works

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This month, Shaham adds a captivating new title to the catalog of Canary Classics, the label he founded in 2004. The new recording, Sarasate: Virtuoso Violin Works, teams Shaham with violinist Adele Anthony, to whom he is married, in a celebration of the music of legendary Spanish violinist and composer Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908). The Pamplona-born composer’s colorful dance- and song-inspired works are not only enormously entertaining and irresistibly appealing, but also full of sometimes hair-raising technical challenges.

Shaham and Anthony both feel a deep connection to Sarasate’s music, and used the occasion of the composer’s centenary in 2008 to pay tribute to his work. One highlight of their activities included a November concert at New York ’s Lincoln Center , broadcast live on public television, at which a much-surprised Shaham was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, presented to him by his friend and colleague, conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The season’s festivities culminated in “¡Sarasateada!” – a series of Sarasate concerts in Valladolid , Spain , which were recorded for this CD release. Sarasate: Virtuoso Violin Works will be released in the U.S. on Tuesday, September 29, when Shaham and Anthony will also perform an all-Sarasate program at the popular downtown music club (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City.

The new release marks the debut of Adele Anthony on Canary Classics, for which she will contribute a concerto album in the near future, pairing the popular Sibelius concerto with a work by Australian composer Ross Edwards. Shaham’s previous release for the label showcased Elgar’s epic violin concerto in a critically-acclaimed performance – with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under David Zinman – that was also a surprise Billboard best-seller. Writing for the Denver Post, Kyle MacMillan called it one of the best albums of 2008, noting, “In peak form, with typically responsive phrasing and fetching, natural tone, Shaham receives forceful backing from Zinman and the orchestra.” David Cairns called it a “fine account” in London’s Times, observing, “Gil Shaham plays with a wonderfully pure, true, expressive tone, and phrases like a master.”

Gil Shaham: season engagements through 2009

Sep 23, 2009
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
National Arts Centre Orchestra / Zukerman ( Ottawa , Ontario , Canada )

Sep 29, 2009
Sarasate program with Adele Anthony
(Le) Poisson Rouge ( New York , NY )

Oct 3, 2009
Bach: Double Violin Concerto with Adele Anthony; Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy
Buffalo Philharmonic / Falletta ( Buffalo , NY )

Oct 8, 2009
Solo Bach recital
Mike Lazaridis Theatre ( Waterloo , Ontario , Canada )

Oct 18, 2009
Solo Bach recital
Teatro Comunale ( Florence , Italy )

Oct 19, 2009
Solo Bach recital
Sala Grande del Conservatorio G. Verdi ( Milan , Italy )

Oct 21, 2009
Solo Bach recital
Church of St. Anne ( Prague , Czech Republic )

Oct 22, 2009
Solo Bach recital
Wigmore Hall ( London , UK )

Nov 5, 2009
Berg: Violin Concerto
London Symphony Orchestra / Tilson Thomas
Barbican Hall ( London , England )

Nov 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2009
Berg: Violin Concerto
Los Angeles Philharmonic / Dudamel ( Los Angeles , CA )

Dec 11-18, 2009
Asian tour with Sejong
(Seoul, South Korea: Dec 11; Shanghai, China: Dec 13; Beijing, China: Dec 15; Kaohsiung City, Taiwan: Dec 16; Taipei City, Taiwan: Dec 18)

Comments

Kate Mayer said…
I recently saw an amazing performance by the Lithuanian Pianist, Rudolph Budginas, and immediatley went to pick up his CD afterwards, and was wondering if you have heard of him. He is currently touring the US, and is playing at many local high schools to bring musical awareness and interest to the students. He incorporates his classical training, his own jazz arrangements and sense of humor to connect with the audience. He explains musical lines from Lizt’s "Hungarian Rhapsody" and Johnny Cash's "Walk The Line". He also jazzes up pieces like Claire de Lune and Moonlight Sonata as a soloist and with a jazz accompaniment. To see video clips of Budginas performing go to http://tiny.cc/djJ57and http://tiny.cc/gpKLU, and for a complete tour schedule for interested readers, you can go to www.rudolfpiano.com.
September 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Chip Michael said…
Kate,

I'm always looking for new artists. I just published your comment for my readers and will head out to the website later tomorrow.

If you know the artist, have him or his publicist contact me with more details.

Thanks!
September 24, 2009 at 8:25 PM
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