RELEASE JUNE 18, 2021
"You hear two already accomplished artistic personalities, who not only master every technical challenge with ease but provide so much personality as I very rarely heard in the recent years."
- Rainer Aschemeier, The Listener
Louise Chisson and Tamara Atschba play together since 2008. Their collaboration aims to continue the long tradition of violin - piano duos as well as to make today's public rediscover a more rarely played repertory. They distinguish themselves with their performances of composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Lutoslawski, Szymanowski, Shostakovich, Ravel, Debussy, ...
They have participated in numerous festivals and have been invited to perform recitals in France, Austria, Germany, USA, Mexico, Italy.
Their first CD, which was dedicated to Janacek, Prokofiev and Poulenc, was released in 2013. The album was praised by numerous critics, received 4 Diapasons and was listed, along with seven others recordings, as best classical music album of 2013 on the American website Artistxite. In 2014, they recorded another CD titled "1914", consisting of works by C. Koechlin and L. Vierne, which was rated ***** by BBC Music Magazine.
In 2015 the duo created the Scriabin project, a music & lights concert to be performed at the 27th festival l'Eté Musical en Bergerac.
In addition to playing together, Louise Chisson and Tamara Atschba collaborate as well in teaching and in supporting young artists. They co-founded the Esperus Art Fund in 2016, a french based international non-profit organisation whose ambition is to help struggling young talents to reach concert stages. This project led them to start the Esperus music academy as well, in collaboration with the renowned summer festival l'Eté Musical en Bergerac.
In 2019 they set up a concert with narrator about Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann, for which they got the famous austrian actress Katharina Stemberger to work with them. They performed the Schumann/Brahms concert for instance at the Bank Austria Salon in Vienna and it was also the opening performance in january 2020, of their new concert cycle at the Ehrbar Hall, the ESPERUS CONCERTS.
At the occasion of their IV. Music Academy in summer 2019, they welcomed the cellist Gary Hoffman as guest of honour and performed Beethoven, Debussy and Shostakovich together. They colloborate with him on a regular basis since then.
They signed during the spring 2020 a contract with label Hänssler Klassik with a new recording to be released in 2021. They perform in october 2020 a very successful concert together with cellist Ophélie Gaillard.
Their new album entitled "20th Century Feminine" is released in June 2021. Acclaimed by the critic, the new recording dedicated to women composers received numerous prizes such as the Star of the month in the magazine Fono Forum in july 2021, Album of the week on BBC radio in August 2021, the Diapason d'or in january 2022, as well as nominations for the long list of the Grammy Awards 2022, the bests' list of the Preis der deutsche Schallplattenkritik 2021 and the OPUS KLASSIK.
Louise Chisson & Tamara Atschba are happy to share with you the release of their third recording dedicated to four great women composers of the 20th century, under the label Hänssler Classic.
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Few more words about us...
At very first listening, the duo of Louise Chisson and Tamara Atschba left a very strong impression on me, which became even more intensive with the little played piano-violin sonatas by Beethoven and especially with the sonatas by Janacek, Prokofiev and Poulenc. From classical to modern, the two musician's idea of resurrecting these sometimes unusual works has found lasting resonance with an enthusiastic and appreciative public.
Homogeneity and highly trained technique are self-evident qualities and only the frame for their full-blooded musicality that is sensitized to the subtlest degree. The velvety soft pianissimo and the full energy of the piano are coupled to the ensoulment of the violin up to the extent of virtuoso brilliance. In living contrast to the monotony of many performers today, we encounter Francophile elegance and Eastern European melancholy, and spontaneous drama and Viennese aesthetics are also parts of their further range.
In addition to their many other musical and artistic qualities there is one particularly that distinguishes them: one can't imagine better playing together. As this violin-piano genre ranks among the most intimate facets of the musica da camera and reaches the peak of absolute music, with their soloist format Tamara Atschba and Louise Chisson are the best representatives of this magnificent music.
