Anne-Sophie Mutter & Mutter’s Virtuosi: Bach, Bologne, Previn, Vivaldi, Williams (CD)

Recorded earlier this summer at Vienna‘s Musikverein to celebrate Anne-Sophie Mutter’s 60th birthday.

The album features the violinist with her ensemble of hand-picked musicians, Mutter’s Virtuosi. For this new recording, they perform a programme of Vivaldi Concerto for Three Violins in F major, Bach Violin Concerto in A minor, Brandenburg Concerto no.3 in G major, Prévin’s Nonet (2014) , Joseph Bologne Concerto in A major op.5 no.2. , plus encores from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and John Williams.

MORE INFORMATION

Anne-Sophie Mutter first performed the Violin Concerto No. 2 by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, at the 2022 Lucerne Festival. The 18th-century composer, who was also known as “le Mozart noir”, had his career stunted by the racism prevalent at the time: an issue which Mutter and her ensemble wish to give the serious consideration it deserves. The album also features 2 encores by John Williams, specially arranged for Mutter’s Virtuosi, Previn’s Nonet - Commissioned for Mutter’s Virtuosi and Summer‘s Presto from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” – an exhilarating finale for this demanding programme.

For years, Anne-Sophie Mutter has been performing together with various scholarship students of her foundation – in order to familiarise them with the life of a professional musician and to introduce them to a broader audience. In the spring of 2011 she started the additional project Mutter’s Virtuosi: this ensemble under the violinist’s artistic leadership consists of current and former scholarship holders of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation as well as selected other young musicians.

TRACK LIST

VIVALDI: Concerto for 3 Violins, Strings and Basso continuo in F major, RV 551
J.S. BACH: Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041; Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
PREVIN: Nonet
BOLOGNE: Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5 No. 2
JOHN WILLIAMS: Nice to Be Around from Cinderella Liberty; Theme from Schindler’s List
VIVALDI: Presto from Violin Concerto in G major “L’estate” (Summer) (from The Four Seasons)