An interview with

Why did you want to record this on period instruments?

I’ve become more and more curious about not only Baroque and Classical pieces, but also those from a little later. I just, for the first time, played Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto on gut strings, and I wasn’t sure if it was really necessary. But it sounded so different; there was so much grit to it and so much material to be heard, so it was exciting to do. It was the same for this; we just wanted to find out if it really makes a significant difference, or even a subtle difference, that is interesting for people to hear. Does Stravinsky’s soundworld pose any specific challenges? It’s a fantastic piece and it’s wonderful to play for a violinist – it’s a huge violin part. Ensemble wise it’s a lot of fun, but it needs a lot of concentration. There’s a lot of changes of rhythm and the music comes from all kinds of different corners. It’s all so full of pictures you can transmit in the music – that’s not always the case in the repertoire I play. So I take a lot of pleasure from that. Why did you want to include the Elegy and Duo Concertant?

I was planning to put the Violin Concerto with The Soldier’s Tale, and we were supposed to record it with Les Siècles. The Soldier’s Tale had already been recorded, in December 2019, so I thought it was better to find another combination. The Elegy is a piece I dearly love and I never get to play, and my dear piano partner and I had played the

Duo Concertant shortly before, so why not put it in? I think the Violin Concerto and The Soldier’s Tale may have eaten each other up; it might have been too strong a combination.