Hommages United Strings of Europe & Julian Azkoul

• Dobrinka Tabakova (b. 1980): Organum Light:
• 1 Tabakova: Organum Light 05:37
• Osvaldo Golijov (b. 1960): Last Round:
• 2 Golijov: Last Round: I. Movido, urgente 06:36
• 3 Golijov: Last Round: II. Muertes del Angel 05:56
• Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971): Apollon musagète, Premier tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul):
• 4 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Premier tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Naissance d’Apollon 04:48
• Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul):
• 5 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Variation d’Apollon (Apollon et les Muses) 02:58
• 6 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Pas d’action (Apollon et les trois Muses: Calliope, Polymnie et Terpsichore) 04:19
• 7 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Variation de Calliope (l’Alexandrin) 01:28
• 8 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Variation de Polymnie 01:22
• 9 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Variation [de] Terpsichore 01:34
• 10 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Variation d’Apollon 02:22
• 11 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Pas de deux (Apollon et Terpsichore) 03:45
• 12 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète, Second tableau (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): Coda (Apollon et les Muses) 03:30
• Apollon musagète (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul):
• 13 Stravinsky: Apollon musagète (Arr. for Chamber Ensemble by J. Azkoul): II. Apothéose 03:23
• Olli Mustonen (b. 1967): Nonetto II:
• 14 Mustonen: Nonetto II: I. Inquieto 01:35
• 15 Mustonen: Nonetto II: II. Allegro impetuoso 03:19
• 16 Mustonen: Nonetto II: III. Adagio 07:53
• 17 Mustonen: Nonetto II: IV. Vivacissimo 02:51
• Apotheosis - In memoriam Pablo Casals:
• 18 Mustonen: Apotheosis - In memoriam Pablo Casals 04:19
• Total Runtime 01:07:35

Info zu Hommages

Gemeinsam mit ihrem künstlerischen Leiter Julian Azkoul entwickeln die United Strings of Europe fesselnde Programme mit dem Ziel, Verbindungen zwischen verschiedenen Werken und Epochen, Musikkulturen und Hintergründen herzustellen, Bekanntes mit Neuem zu verbinden und die Menschen dazu zu ermutigen, Werke auf unterschiedliche Weise zu hören und neues Repertoire zu entdecken. Für ihre neue Veröffentlichung mit dem Titel Hommages feiert das Ensemble musikalische Traditionen, vom Mythos des Apollo und den Musen der griechischen Antike bis zu Legenden des 20. Inspiriert von Träumen und Erinnerungen an die Vergangenheit werden in diesem fantasievollen Programm aktuelle Werke neben der Weltersteinspielung von Julian Azkouls Bearbeitung von Igor Strawinskys neoklassischem Ballett Apollon musagete aus den 1920er Jahren aufgeführt. Während Dobrinka Tabakovas Organum Light, das hier zum ersten Mal eingespielt wurde, von Einsteins Theorie des Quantenlichts inspiriert wurde, ist Osvaldo Golijov für Last Round, eine Hommage an zwei legendäre Landsleute, zu seinen argentinischen Wurzeln zurückgekehrt. Was Olli Mustonen betrifft (der als Pianist auf mehreren anderen BIS-Aufnahmen zu hören ist), so ist sein zweites Nonett ein zeitloses Werk, in dem Anklänge an den Balkan, an die Romantik und an nordische Stimmungen zu hören sind. Ein weiteres Werk von Mustonen, Apotheosis, ebenfalls eine Weltersteinspielung, beschließt dieses abwechslungsreiche Programm mit einer dramatischen Note, inspiriert von Bachs Choralvorspielen.

United Strings of Europe
Julian Azkoul, Dirigent

United Strings of Europe
The United Strings of Europe is shaped by a multi-cultural background and a drive to develop experimental and engaging programming.

Praised for our original programming and ‘virtuosically expressive’ playing (★★★★ The Times), we commission and arrange music from a variety of musical cultures and backgrounds, and perform regularly in Europe and the Middle East. Our recordings for BIS Records have been celebrated for their ‘compelling programmes’ (BBC Music Magazine) and for being ‘supremely executed’ (★★★★1/2 Stereophile Magazine). Our new album 'Renewal' out earlier this year exploring themes of loss and transformation with soprano Ruby Hughes was Editor's Choice at Presto Music and was one of Apple Music's ‘10 Albums You Must Hear’ in February.

We believe that the power of music connects, crosses divides and promotes cross-cultural understanding.

Our lockdown film 'send back the echo', a commission from composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman featuring deaf actor Vilma Jackson, explores issues around disability and social alienation. It premiered on BBC Arts and was selected for the London Film Festival. In 2022 we are producing a ground-breaking show 'Apollo Resurrected' combining music, theatre and juggling. A retelling of Stravinsky’s 'Apollo' with new music by Joanna Marsh, the show will premiere at King’s Place on 28 October before heading to Leeds in November. This year sees us give debut performances at Wilton’s Music Hall in London and the Victoria Hall in Geneva, open the Byline Festival and Festival on the Close, and hold residencies at the Southrepps Music Festival and Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival. We will release our third album with BIS Records featuring new arrangements of works by Tchaikovsky in November 2022.

We are passionate about interdisciplinary projects, reaching new audiences, and engaging with different communities in the UK, across Europe and the Middle East.

Armed with the belief that music and ensemble playing can enrich people’s lives and promote cross-cultural understanding, we are committed to reaching new audiences through education work and initiatives that engage refugees and marginalised groups. We also seek ways to explore issues relevant to these communities through our artistic work.

Julian Azkoul
has appeared in over a dozen countries as a soloist, orchestral leader, and chamber musician. Invited to lead orchestras under Daniel Barenboim and the late Sir Colin Davis, he has featured as a soloist with the Lebanese National Philharmonic Orchestra, Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra, Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra amongst others. Julian’s chamber music partners have included Walter Delahunt, Krysia Osostowicz, Ofer Falk, Joel Quarrington, Burt Wathen and Kate Whitley.

Since 2012, Julian is a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestras working with today’s most celebrated conductors and soloists. A regular guest, he leads Camerata Venia in Switzerland and has co-lead the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and performs with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the London Symphony Orchestra. He is a founding member of Trio Cardinale (1st Prize, Intercollegiate Piano Trio Competition 2013) with pianist Florian Mitrea and cellist Alexander Rolton. In the UK, Julian has appeared at the Spitalfields, Dartington, Latitude, Easter at King’s, Aldeburgh, Cowbridge and English Music festivals.

Julian read music at King’s College, Cambridge and obtained an MA (Distinction) at the Royal Academy of Music in London. His teachers included Stéphane Tran Ngoc, Ofer Falk and Mateja Marinkovic. He pursued further study with Lieke Te Winkel of the Universität fur Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. Julian has a keen interest in Arabic music and has attended the Arabic Music Retreat in the USA on three occasions, working with masters Simon Shaheen, Bassam Saba and Charbel Rouhana.

Julian leads and manages the ensemble United Strings of Europe, a flexible group of twelve string players, under the baton of Franck Fontcouberte. He recently performed Arnold’s Concerto for Two Violins with the co-leader Ariel Lang. In 2016, the ensemble performed a new Double Concerto written for Julian and pianist Walter Delahunt by American composer David Winkler in France and Switzerland. Julian plays on a Dutch violin by Max Möller made in 1927. He has been a member of Camerata Alma Viva since 2014.

Booklet für Hommages