What would you ask Janine Jansen?

February 17, 2009 at 01:10 AM ·

Ask her what she would ask James Ehnes.

February 17, 2009 at 01:24 AM ·

Does she like Bram's blog?

February 17, 2009 at 01:36 AM ·

-Has she run into any violins other than the Barrere which allowed her to create the sort of sounds she seeks?

-What strings did she use for her Bach recording and the Proms concerts?

-Can she point to any unusual influences on her thinking about expression and style, things that have inspired the ways in which her playing seems different from many other modern players?

-As her musical interpretations developed did she often differ with teachers about how to interpret the music she was working on?

-Will the Tchaikovsky DVD be available through any US sources?  :-)

February 17, 2009 at 10:33 PM ·

YAY! I've been waiting for this interview for ever and so happy that it's finally coming.

My main questions:

•  How does she sound the way she does?
• What influences did she have as she developed?
• What may a typical day be like?
• What's next on the recording front?

Her vibrato and the way she plays is so unique and she sounds nothing like any violinist of our time.

I wish I had more questions to ask her but most are included in what was asked before me.

Thanks to you Laurie for this interview and I'm excited to see it :)

February 17, 2009 at 11:00 PM ·

Maybe I will ask her what she'll ask James Ehnes. Or maybe I'll just do a conference call! Kind of a coincidence they were both available on the same day!

February 17, 2009 at 11:10 PM ·

Why not include in your conference Julia Fischer, she too is around, in "your neighbourhood" !

Haj

February 18, 2009 at 12:17 AM ·

Who are her greatest idols? Inspirations or teachers?

Anne-Marie

February 18, 2009 at 02:44 AM ·

Laurie, could you let her know that Michael Divino in Waldorf MD thinks that she is one of the most amazingly beatiful, talented and passionate violinists around right now?  Thanks !

Now, where to begin:

• Any performances with the National Symphony or Baltimore Symphony lined up?
• Out of your five albums, which was the most fun to record and why?
• What are your thoughts on 20th century music? (Schoenberg, Shostakovich, Berg, dissonance vs. consonance?)
• What was the first concerto you learned?

Also, Laurie, could you let her know that I said this about her recording of the Mendelssohn concerto? :

I was listening to the Mendelssohn (again) and her first movement is so agitated and angry  in a good way, like she doesn't want to be there with the orchestra and vice versa, and she tries to break away in the cadenza.  There is some sort of truce drawn between them in the second movement, which when I listen to it, I pick up tense undercurrents lingering from the first movement.  By the finale, all is well and dandy.  This is music at its best.  When I listen to her play the Mendelssohn, there is tangible emotion in my body.

Thanks!  Michael.

February 18, 2009 at 02:43 AM ·

Oh, and yes Paul, YAY indeed.  I've been waiting for this for so long.

February 18, 2009 at 04:11 AM ·

Same question:

How have modern violinists advanced the art of violin playing.  

February 18, 2009 at 04:14 PM ·

It could be worthwile to ask Janine Jansen about differences and similarities in music-making between America and Europe, the Netherlands in particular. 

February 18, 2009 at 11:17 PM ·

Does she like this violinconcert of Karlowicz? Does she take 30 minutes of her life to listen to it? Does she think it is 2th rank compared to Tsjaikovaky violinconcerto and for that reason unknown?

[1] Mieczyslaw Karlowicz - Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 8 by K. A. Kulka (1st Mvt, begin)

[2] M. Karlowicz - Violin Concerto in A Maj, Op. 8 by K. A. Kulka (1st Mvt, end + 2nd Mvt, begin)

[3] Mieczyslaw Karlowicz - Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 8 by K. A. Kulka (3rd Mvt)

February 19, 2009 at 06:30 PM ·

Uhm, not to be rude or anything, but why are you embedding three videos of a completely irrelevant violinist in a thread about questions for Jansen?

February 19, 2009 at 06:48 PM ·

Paul--he's trying to draw attention to the concerto, which he is apparently fairly passionate about, which brings to mind the fact that many performers are remarkably diplomatic and kind in situations where most of us would be somewhat more blunt.   ;-)

February 19, 2009 at 09:10 PM ·

Bram - there's a reason why people continue to play Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Tchaikovsky - they are genius pieces!  :)

Laurie, I'm curious to know who Janine's designer is :) 

February 19, 2009 at 10:38 PM ·

well it was either God or Darwin....

February 19, 2009 at 10:48 PM ·

@ Bram  - "compared to Tsjaikovaky violinconcerto " -

is this guy a contemporary composer?

March 16, 2009 at 05:45 PM ·

Sooo, any updates?  :-)

March 16, 2009 at 07:41 PM ·

tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow...

Yes, her Tchaik is released tomorrow in the States, and we will run the interview then as well. :)

March 16, 2009 at 08:31 PM ·

What would I ask her?

"Will you marry me?"

:-P

March 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM ·

I would go along with something similar to Mr. Tabora's question :P

I mean, she is one of the greatest violinists of our time-she combines elegant musicality along with perfect technique and a glowing tone, and every note she plays has it's proper place and it's never "overplayed", but you gotta admit-shes a pretty good looking woman!

Okay I'll stop being a creeper now......

March 17, 2009 at 06:42 PM ·

Just in case anyone missed it:  http://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/

March 17, 2009 at 08:16 PM ·

I hadn't heard of her.  I looked at her bio - remarkably similar to that of Lara St. John in many ways.

You could ask her if Lara St. John influenced her at all.