Rosanne Philippens - Rosanne Philippens plays Haydn & Stravinsky with The Vondel String (2021) [SACD]

The members of The Vondel Strings were brought together by Dutch violinist Rosanne Philippens during the Corona virus crisis. Top soloists and chamber musicians were not allowed to play concerts for a live audience. But they were allowed to get together to record an album and a livestream concert.

Rosanne Philippens and The Vondel Strings performed a Haydn & Stravinsky livestream concert in April 2021 in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Shortly after recording the program of Haydn’s Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 and Stravinsky’s Le baiser de la fée for Channel Classics Records.

The name of the ensemble is inspired by Vera Beths and her late husband Anner Bijlsma’s house in Amsterdam. That house is a lodestone for their pupils and for international stars, among whom it is known as ‘The Vondel’. Upstairs students were taught, downstairs life was discussed at the coffee table. It was natural that this ensemble, filled with such musicians, should be named after this special location.

Rosanne Philippens tells us: “I have often performed Haydn and Stravinsky in combination, and although at first sight you might not associate one with the other, I do believe they form a fine pair. Why oh why? Perhaps because of the music’s frankness. The nimbleness. The intelligence behind it. And the humor, which you hear so well in the little final movements. Haydn plays with his time signatures and puts the listener on the wrong track with his halting phrases. The pleasure of Stravinsky emerges for instance in a romantic pas de deux which turns and changes into a sort of circus music. I think both pieces are cheerful, light and sometimes rather romantic, but never over the top.”

Tracks:

Haydn:
1. Violin Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Hob. VIIa4: I. Allegro moderato (7:50)
2. Violin Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Hob. VIIa4: II. Adagio (5:30)
3. Violin Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Hob. VIIa4: III. Finale (3:30)

Stravinsky:
4. Le Baiser de la Fée - Divertimento: Sinfonia (6:37)
5. Le Baiser de la Fée - Divertimento: Danses Suisses (4:42)
6. Le Baiser de la Fée - Divertimento: Scherzo (3:44)
7. Le Baiser de la Fée - Divertimento: Pas de Deux (6:50)

Haydn:
8. Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob. Vlla1: I. Allegro moderato (10:06)
9. Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob. Vlla1: II. Adagio (4:53)
10. Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob. Vlla1: III. Finale Presto (4:03)

Personnel:

Rosanne Philippens – Violin
The Vondel Strings