For the Record, Op. 331: Noah Bendix-Balgley and Philharmonix; Gidon Kremer; Mariko Senju

May 2, 2025, 12:50 PM · 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! Click on the highlighted links to obtain each album or learn more about the artists.

Baltic - The Vienna Berlin Music Club Vol. 4
Philharmonix
Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin
Sebastian Gürtler, violin
Thilo Fechner, viola
Stephan Koncz, cello
Ödön Rácz, double bass
Daniel Ottensamer, clarinet
Christoph Traxler, piano

Philharmonix consists of seven musicians, most of whom play in the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, operating under the mantra: "Anything goes, as long as it’s fun." This album, their fourth, is dedicated to the music of the Baltics, especially that of Latvia. Violinist Sebastian Gürtler and cellist Stephan Koncz compose and arrange all the works that Philharmonix performs. With his Baltic cycle, Sebastian Gürtler has not only created a personal tribute to Latvian folk music, but has introduced a new sound and character for Philharmonix. From the very first measure, the seven musicians of Philharmonix had the feeling that this musical language had been tailor-made for them. BELOW: a live performance from Konzerthaus 2023 of one of the tracks from the album, "Laumas Kasas."

Viktor Kalabis . Duettina, Chamber music & Diptych
Gidon Kremer, violin
Magdalena Ceple, cello
Kremerata Baltica

Written in the 1980s and scored for 12 strings, Viktor Kalabis's 'Diptych' is a study in string sonority. Each individual string line keeps its own inner tonality: they combine to form a counterpoint of canons, with each line moving forward against another in a continuum of string sound. Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica display their usual unswerving commitment to the unfamiliar in this programme dedicated to the music of Czech composer Viktor Kalabis. BELOW: Kalabis: Duettina for Violin & Cello, Op. 67: II. Danzetta, featuring violinist Gidon Kremer and cellist Magdalena Ceple.

Mendelssohn & Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos
Mariko Senju, violin
Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Chikara Iwamura conducting

Japanese violinist Mariko Senju presents a 50th-anniversary commemorative album, recording with the 1716 "Duranti" Stradivari, which she has been playing since 2002. "In the album, the pieces include the same two concertos that made my recording debut about 35 years ago, and I have been planning to re-record them for many years," Senju said.

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our "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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For the Record, Op. 331: Noah Bendix-Balgley and Philharmonix; Gidon Kremer; Mariko Senju

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