For the Record, Op. 35: Anne-Sophie Mutter; Janine Jansen; Robyn Bollinger

November 2, 2017, 10:24 AM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Schubert: Forellenquintett - Trout Quintet (Live)
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Daniil Trifonov, piano
Hwayoon Lee, viola
Maximilian Hornung, cello
Roman Patkoló, bass

Anne-Sophie Mutter and friends (mentored through the The Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation) perform Schubert’s famous Trout Quintet, as well as several other chamber works by Schubert. "I have always been quite disturbed that so many of our wonderful colleagues play the theme from the fourth movement as if the trout has been dead for several centuries," Mutter said. "But if you read the text of the song from which Schubert takes his theme, the trout is as fast as an arrow! He doesn’t use the sequence where the trout is killed. No – the trout is there wiggling its tail and having a great time. When the ‘Trout’ theme returns, it’s an Allegretto, even faster than the original Andantino. There’s esprit and exuberant joy in this music. It’s one of Schubert’s sunniest pieces." BELOW: Excerpts and conversation with Mutter about recording the "Trout."

Messiaen: Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps
Janine Jansen, violin
Martin Fröst, clarinet
Thorleif Thedéen, cello
Lucas Debargue, piano

Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" was conceived and performed in a concentration camp, despite an almost impossible set of circumstances. Clarinetist Martin Fröst and violinist Janine Jansen first met 16 years ago and the first piece they ever played together was the Quartet for the End of Time. This piece left them with a deep sense of connection; they were just waiting for the right time and circumstances to record it. This ensemble will perform the quartet live on Dec. 7 at Carnegie Hall. BELOW: An excerpt from the quartet.

Ciaccona: The Bass of Time
Robyn Bollinger, violin

Boston-based violinist Robyn Bollinger's debut solo album tells the story of one of the oldest musical ideas: the Chaconne, based on the concept of the repeating bass line. The album includes Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber's Passacaglia, Johann Sebastian Bach's Ciaccona from Partita No. 2 in d minor, Béla Bartók's Tempo di Ciaccona from Sonata for Solo Violin, and Luciano Berio's Sequenza VIII. BELOW: Bollinger play's Bach's Ciacconna:

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our Thursday "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes.

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