| Press reviews |
… A cultivated, well-matched duo of dark, refined violin tone and richly-coloured piano playing with a sensitive touch. Highly enjoyable, with Beethoven's sonata op 96 framed by Haydn's Scots songs.
(Tiroler Tageszeitung/Austria, January 2010)
… A CD that just has to be heard! The Duo :nota bene: is joined by Detlef Mielke (cello) and Maximilian Kiener (tenor) for a tasteful selection from Haydn's 429 Scots, Welsh and Irish folk-songs. Kiener is obviously in his element interpreting the texts in a dialogue with the instrumentalists.
The Duo emphasises how seriously Haydn's folk-song arrangements are to be taken, by placing Beethoven's G major sonata for violin and piano op 96 in the middle of this anthology of folk/art-songs.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria, December 2009)
… In the second Aspekte concert, Risa Schuchter, Detlef Mielke and Alexander Vavtar gave an outstanding performance of Friedrich Cerha's Trio for Violin, Violoncello and Piano (2005), which was greeted with enthusiastic and well-earned applause.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria, March 2008)
… The Austrian duo :nota bene: held a concert in Guiyang grand theatre. The Mozart programme the duo chose for its concert not only allowed them to utilize the wide range of their instrumental abilities but also turned into a fascinating survey of the music history of the so called "Mozart Family".
(The Guizhou Times/China, August 2007)
… Last night, violinist Eva Steinschaden and pianist Alexander Vavtar from Austria played a concert in Foshan movie theatre. The duo captivated the audience by great technical assurance right from the beginning to the end.
(The Zhujiang Times/China, August 2007)
... Thunderous applause and ovations resulted in a charming encore that brought a sensational concert to a relaxed end.
(Zhejiang Online/China, August 2007)
… The Austrian duo :nota bene: visited Corsham Festival for a lunchtime concert at St. Bartholomew’s church. They yoked together contemporary music with pieces from the more traditional classical repertoire in their performance.
They were very earnest and accomplished performers. Vavtar gave each piece a fascinating introduction conveying their enthusiasm for the music.
(The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald/England, July 2007)
… The duo :nota bene: played Franz Xaver Mozart’s Sonata
for violin and piano in F major with confidence and sensitivity, demonstrating
a very wide range of colours from ppp to fff without, at any point, losing
the quality of their tone.
Vavtar’s piano playing was firm and delicate at the same time, and
it was matched very well by Steinschaden’s bowing. This work leaves
the performers more exposed, demanding from them a clear technique and
a great commitment to the music to capture the interest of the listener.
The performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sonata for piano and
violin in B flat major was lively and shaped with poise and elegance.
The constant interplay between the violin and the piano as the players
exchanged roles between one stage of the movement and the next was excellent
and the singing nature of the slow movement was brought forward to the
closing Allegretto.
Altogether the concert of the duo in the Auberge d’Aragon in Valletta
was characterised by warmth and affection.
(Sunday Times Malta/Malta, May 2007)
... Eva Steinschaden und Alexander Vavtar – established partners
as the Duo :nota bene: – played the solo parts in Joseph Haydn's
Double Concerto for violin, piano and string orchestra. Accompanied by
the Bulgarian Orpheus Chamber Orchestra under Raitscho Christov, they
displayed virtuosity and readiness to enter into dialogue, on the one
hand in harmony with the strings, and on the other meeting the challenge
of asserting themselves against the full orchestral sound. Not all orchestras
and conductors allow the soloists so much scope for development.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria,
March 2007)
… Ludwig Laher's reading in the Brucknerhaus in Linz championed
Franz Xaver Mozart, son of the great Amadeus, and offered an informal
and informative discussion with piquant nuances.
The duo :nota bene: and tenor Peter Sonn contributed an exquisite selection
of music.
(Kronen Zeitung/Austria, December 2006)
… Together with the wonderful young tenor Peter Sonn and the writer
Ludwig Laher, the duo :nota bene: set out to discover whether Franz Xaver
Mozart can avoid being eclipsed by his illustrious father.
His violin sonata op 15 is imbued with fine-spun melodies; this is easily
comprehensible music with nothing flashy about it. The Duo presented it
with verve and to full advantage, especially the song melodies and the
concluding Chopinesque polonaises.
The young Mozart was undoubtedly a sought-after musician; this was demonstrated
in an excellent and important concert in the Brucknerhaus.
(Oberösterreichische Nachrichten/Austria, December 2006)
… The duo :nota bene: – violinist Eva Steinschaden and pianist
Alexander Vavtar – recently brought out a highly interesting CD
of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his son Franz Xaver Mozart.
Franz Xaver Mozart's sonata op 15 is tuneful, witty music, far superior
to many contemporary compositions. This CD, under the Viennese label "Extraplatte",
is outstanding for the excellent performance, in which the Steinway D
concert grand blends beautifully with the wonderful tone of the replica
Amati violin.
The CD will be a valuable addition to any collection of classical music,
both artistically and as broadening the repertoire.
(Hörerlebnis/Germany, December 2006)
... The Violin Sonata op 15 in F major by Franz Xaver Mozart is a comprehensive,
inspired panorama of the new affectivity in music after 1800.
The duo :nota bene: – violinist Eva Steinschaden and pianist Alexander
Vavtar – confirm in live performance, rich in nuance, coherent in
both virtuosity and lyricism, the outstanding impression made by their
CD recording of this unjustly neglected work.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria,
September 2006)
… The duo :nota bene: marks the Mozart jubilee year 2006 with
a new CD. "There were two Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts", we learn
from the booklet, which is worth reading for the clear, incisive and informative
text by Ludwig Laher, author of the novel "Wolfgang Amadeus junior:
Mozart Sohn sein".
A lively, sensitively rendered recording of Mozart's A major Sonata for
piano and violin K526 is followed here with a rarity: the second violin
sonata by the unknown though familiar 19th-century composer Franz Xaver
Mozart. Here is music from the incipient Biedermeier period, meticulously
worked, sensitive and melodious – no eclectic pasticcio, but a piece
well worth listening to, showing the composer's search for an individual
style in keeping with the period.
The two musicians perform with intelligence and verve. Eva Steinschaden
combines a beautifully refined tone with delicate romantic cantilena style.
Alexander Vavtar, an equal partner at the piano, adds many surprising
touches.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria,
September 2006)
... Each of the concerts in the series "Musik & Museum"
is a kind of suspension in the overloaded Salzburg concert calendar, presenting
an interesting combination of contemporary and sometimes classical works.
An excellent example of this concept was the recital given by the duo
:nota bene: – a calm, cantabile, even meditative evening. Mozart's
Sonata K526 in A major for piano and violin was set between miniatures
by Anton Webern, John Cage, Klemens Vereno and Charles Camilleri.
The duo :nota bene:, Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar, declared specialists
for the classical modern era, captivated the audience with their brilliant,
finely nuanced tone and subtly differentiated, dynamic phrasing.
Anton von Webern's Four Pieces op 7 and John Cage's Nocturne
for violin and piano were gentle songs portending fears or sombre dreams,
though never becoming anguished.
Klemens Vereno's Five Haikus for violin and piano are forceful,
witty miniatures. Three Folk songs from Malta offered a first
encounter with the Maltese composer Charles Camilleri: colourful genre
scenes in which contemporary splashes of brilliance are applied with a
light touch to the basic folk music elements.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria,
July 2006)
… The duo :nota bene: celebrated the Mozart jubilee year with a
splendid chamber recital in the American University of Beirut, performing
works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Xaver Mozart, Bohuslav Martinu
and Cesar Bresgen.
The two musicians created a lovely sensitive atmosphere and clearly differentiated
the various features of the works.
(An-Nahar/Lebanon, May 2006)
… The recital by the duo :nota bene: in the small hall of the Atheneum
offered a programme of contrasts, with works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Ludwig Nussbichler, Cesar Bresgen and Franz Xaver Mozart.
With delightful verve, the two musicians demonstrated their mastery of
the classical school in Mozart's A major Sonata K526 for piano and violin.
Here Cesar Bresgen once again proved his worth as an intermediary –
his Romanian Suite served as a link between the contemporary
Nussbichler and the two Mozarts. F. X. Mozart's F major Sonata for piano
and violin concluded the programme.
Encores by Fritz Kreisler and Arnold Schoenberg, performed with typical
Austrian charm, brought the concert to a harmonious close.
(Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung/Romania, March 2006)
… The duo :nota bene: celebrated the Mozart jubilee year with a
programme of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Xaver Mozart, Klemens
Vereno and Ludwig Nussbichler.
The musicians gave an especially masterly rendering of Mozart's A major
Sonata K526, for which they were rewarded with enthusiastic applause.
(La Voz de Michoacán/Mexico, January 2006)
... The duo :nota bene: marked the Mozart jubilee year 2006 before an
audience of more than 200 in the Manuel Felguérez Museum of Abstract
Art with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Xaver Mozart, Klemens
Vereno and Ludwig Nussbichler.
The two musicians lend fresh charm to both classical and contemporary
works. Their interpretations amazed the audience with their balanced perfection,
and a rare entente was achieved between performers and audience. The highlight
of the concert was the rendering of Mozart's A major Sonata K526.
(Imagen de Zacatecas/Mexico, January 2006)
… Musikfest Salzburg 2005: With skill and understanding, the duo
:nota bene: championed the twelve-note music of Josef Matthias Hauer,
gave a meticulous, romantic rendering of Anton von Webern's Four Pieces
op 7 for violin and piano, and presented Witold Lutoslawski's Subito
for violin and piano with wonderful sensitivity.
(DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria,
November 2005)
… The duo :nota bene: showed that rare talent of performing music
as if creating it on the spot. The playing of the two musicians is cantabile
and soulful and with an aplomb and fluidity that only years of experience
may allow.
(Changsha Evening/China, August 2005)
… In the final recital in this season's "Music & Museum"
series, Eva Steinschaden, violin, and Alexander Vavtar, piano, presented
themselves once more as the masterly and technically perfect musicians
we have come to know and appreciate over the years.
Eva Steinschaden gave a convincing performance, clear, unsentimental and
assured, the crescendo becoming more intense rather than louder. With
his subtly differentiated touch, Alexander Vavtar has at his command an
infinite variety of nuances, from a delicate impressionistic shimmer to
the mighty tolling of a bell.
These musical qualities showed to advantage especially in Ludwig Nussbichler's
"Traumbildfragment" III (2003) – the work opens with marked,
even forceful chords which immediately retreat into a delicate pulsing,
as though from a great distance. The violin opens the second part with
a buoyant theme; it was a exciting experience to hear – not for
the first time – how these two performers cause the piano and violin
sounds to merge.
By contrast, Helmut Neumann's "Rosette" for violin and piano
(1963) is as solid as a piece from a counterpoint manual. Its "robustness",
abstaining from any poetic elements, was finely chiselled yet gently sketched
by Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar with verve and tonal differentiation.
Between Rosette and Traumbildfragment, the programme offered Schubert's
sonatas in D major (D384) and A minor (D385) for violin and piano.
An excellently combined programme, in which the sobs in even these earlier,
lighter-hearted Schubert sonatas were reflected most touchingly in the
contemporary works.
(DrehPunktKultur – the Salzburg internet arts journal/Austria,
July 2005)
… The new CD by the duo :nota bene: is a challenge to the listener.
This would not usually be seen as a selling-point, but it is in fact desirable
for new music. Thus it is a legitimate description, when :nota bene: endeavours
to provide new listening experiences.
The determining experience in this third volume is the contrast between
the variety of pieces and composers on the one hand, and the concentrated
brevity of the works on the other.
This selection compels the listener's concentrated attention if he is
not to miss half the point.
György Kurtág, who long remained practically unknown, had
a sophisticated collection of sounds at his disposal as early as 1979.
In the "Tre pezzi", the Duo immediately achieves three quite
distinct atmospheres. First the barren waste ("sad and desolate"),
performed with magnificent toughness, but then allowing just a meagre
trace of life ("vivo"), and to conclude, a sentimental strain
("very quiet, extremely slow"). Eva Steinschaden elicits impressive
sighs and sobs from her instrument. Time stands still, giving the opportunity
to let one's mind wander.
We are torn from our dreams by Lutos_awski's "Subito" (1992),
which does full justice to its title. The dynamics are the important element
here, since the work has little to offer in the way of counterpoint. The
alternation of volume is executed here with great success.
This CD brings two contemporary works as a particular point of interest
– each concerning a myth. Ludwig Nussbichler (b 1963) focused on
the dream, a flourishing concept at the beginning of the 19th century.
"Traumbildfragment III" is also reminiscent of early Schoenberg,
of Skryabin and his floating melodies, of music from the time of Freud's
interpretation of dreams. Violin melodies wander aimlessly through the
echoes of the fragmentary piano figures, played by Alexander Vavtar with
uncompromising use of pedal. Here is the opportunity for a highly sensuous
experience.
Klemens Vereno (b 1957) has a completely different approach. "Five
Haikus" draws inspiration from the myth of far-eastern spirituality.
A haiku is a very short Japanese form of verse consisting of three lines
with 5, 7 and 5 syllables. This structure cannot be distinguished, however,
in Vereno's five movements, which last between 40 and 62 seconds. Perhaps
the composer had something more general in mind; with such short pieces,
the only thing is to pay attention to details. Unlike the blurred "dream
pictures", here each note of Vereno's calm tone poems carries great
weight and must be clearly perceived.
Altogether, an oppressive fullness in an interpretation which does not
take the listener by the hand – and perhaps does not intend to.
But anyone rising to the challenge certainly has an experience in store.
(klassik.com/Germany, July 2005)
... The new CD by the duo :nota bene:, entitled simply "volume 3",
is devoted exclusively to 20th- and 21st-century miniatures – by
"old masters" such as Bresgen, Penderecki, Kurtág and
Lutoslawski, as well as two contemporary Salzburg composers: Ludwig Nussbichler,
whose "Traumbildfragmente III" spins an aura of delicate threads,
and Klemens Vereno, whose "Five Haikus" combine lyricism with
conciseness.
This is a beautifully compiled CD, showing commitment and subtlety.
(Salzburger Nachrichten/Austria, January 2005)
... The classical market being long exhausted, niche products, doing
credit to their name, are finding a regular clientèle.
The duo :nota bene: have issued on CD an exceptional programme which they
have already taken round the world. Penderecki, Kurtág and Lutoslawski
are modern classics, and the latest delightful offerings of this brilliant
duo are Cesar Bresgen's "Romanian Suite", Klemens Vereno's "Five
Haikus" and Ludwig Nussbichler's "Traumbildfragmente III".
A great achievement – and a credit to Salzburg.
(Salzburger Volkszeitung/Austria, December 2004)
... Monday night at the Austrian Embassy, violinist Eva Steinschaden
and pianist Alexander Vavtar played nearly every note they sounded
with the utmost emphasis. In Anton Webern's "Four Pieces"
for violin and piano, and György Kurtág's "Three
Pieces" for violin and piano, Steinschaden and Vavtar powerfully
projected what little was there, so that one's imagination was
sparked to fill in the gaps between notes and phrases in the
Webern, and the few elements in the more rhythmic Kurtág
implied a larger-scale structure.
(Washington Post/USA, November 2004)
... Threads of sound, fine as gossamer but strong as steel
this is the overall impression of the third CD released
by the duo :nota bene:. ":nota bene: Volume 3" begins
with Krysztof Penderecki's "Miniatury" for violin and
piano (1959). These three minute-long pieces provide a kind of
theme and basic mood for the recording: highly concentrated music
in the "smallest space", with an intense quality of
sound and colour.
Although Ludwig Nussbichler's "Traumbildfragmente III"
for violin and piano (2003) is marked "maestoso, molto ritmico"
and introduced by several emphatic chords on the piano, within
a few bars the piece begins to float. Alexander Vavtar seems
to shape every note before it sounds, unfolding a wealth of harmonics
occasionally reminiscent of a prepared piano. Out of this meticulously
cultivated ground Eva Steinschaden draws forth the violin part,
smooth in both sound and phrasing. It is thrilling and enlightening
to hear such merging of violin and piano, especially though
not only in some of the finely-structured emotive unison
passages.
This almost amalgam-like fusion of sound also characterises the
other "miniatures", such as Klemens Vereno's "Five
Haikus" (2003), a work commissioned by :nota bene:.
It is not only the musical and technical qualities that constitute
the great appeal of this CD, but also the dramaturgy of the choice
of works. In this context, and in this unembellished rendering,
Cesar Bresgen's Romanian Suite "For Eleonore" (1956)
a work traditional in form and sound seems drawn
in the direction of modernism.
György Kurtág's "Tre pezzi" for
violin and piano (1979) are like any Kurtág work
concise renderings of the essence of stories or spiritual
landscapes. In the third piece, for instance "very
soft, extremely slow" the duo leads the listener on
a two-minute walk through infinity. With Witold Lutoslawski's
"Subito", the atmosphere "suddenly" comes
alive again.
This CD offers 45.58 minutes of "cerebral" music, inviting
the listener to dream.
(DrehPunktKultur / Salzburg's Internet arts page/Austria,
November 2004)
... Fine polished chamber music! The Duo :nota bene: presented
sonatas by Mozart and Beethoven and it is tempting to say they
brought some kind of special Austrian insight to this pieces.
Mozart's KV 296 and Beethoven's op 30/1 where played with terrific
poise and focus. It seemed to me to be the slow movements where
this focus was at its most powerful, with admirable assurance
and control of timing. The Beethoven particularly had a rare
intensity.
It was fine chamber music, a little cool and deliberate perhaps,
but always extremely polished.
(The Press/New Zealand, September 2004)
... The duo :nota bene: played choice works by Stravinsky,
Martinu, Bresgen, Webern, Hauer, Kurtág, Lutoslawski,
Vereno, Schnittke und Penderecki.
This was truly touchingly beautiful music. A special compliment:
Eva Steinschaden's violin-playing was spectacular. When she turned
to play into the open piano and made it resonate, it was as though
one were listening down a deep well. And did it not sometimes
seem as if Pan were playing his pipes on her instrument?
The long-familiar techniques of contemporary music took on new,
evocative colours. The pianist Alexander Vavtar was an ideally-matched
partner for her, and he gave a masterly rendering of some extremely
demanding works.
(DrehPunktKultur / Salzburg's Internet arts page/Austria,
June 2004)
... The concert given by the duo :nota bene: was a particularly
pleasant surprise. Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar are
two exceptionally endearing performers, completely without vanity
and all the more committed to their art.
One could feel how well Mozart's music here the Sonata
in B flat major KV 454 suits these musicians, and Eva Steinschaden's
warm, subtle yet powerful tone harmonised splendidly with her
partner's sensitive, fine-toned playing. The duo allowed the
music its natural flow, so that its indescribable charm and elegance,
and especially its deeply moving melody and warmth, were conveyed
to full advantage.
In Cesar Bresgen's fascinating and richly varied "Rumanian
Suite", the musicians showed a further aspect of their expertise:
tonal differentiation and virtuosity, together with an unerring
sense of rhythm.
Ludwig Nussbichler's "Traumbildfragment III" (Dream
Fragment III) was a real discovery; here densely packed atmosphere
and beauty of tone were skilfully combined.
Then Schubert's Duo in A major D 574 this music breathed
and affected, and one wondered whether perhaps it is only Austrians
who can truly bring out its inherent sensitivity and lyricism,
its melancholy charm.
As an encore, they played Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel"
(Mirror in the mirror); thanks to the performance of the duo
:nota bene: the inner warmth and radiance of this piece was displayed
to the full music hovering, suspended, experienced as a
trance.
(Kulturissimo/Luxembourg, November 2003)
... A dialogue of kindred spirits, between violin and piano!
Last week the superlative duo :nota bene: gave a guest performance
in the Villa Louvigny.
From the start, Mozart's elegant sonata KV 454 riveted the attention.
These two virtuoso musicians shaped the individual sounds as
if in malleable wax, and fitted them together with loving care;
the result was the kind of sonorous tableau achieved by only
few masters of the art.
In Cesar Bresgen's "Rumanian Suite", too, the duo showed
its best side, characterised by blind mutual trust. Thanks to
their brilliant performance, Ludwig Nussbichler's exciting
"Traumbildfragment III" [Dream Fragment
III], with its many surprising technical episodes, was completely
convincing. The crowning conclusion of the official programme,
Schubert's Duo D 575, was further enhanced by two splendid encores.
We hope to hear this Austrian duo again as soon as ever possible.
(Letzeburger Journal / Luxembourg, October 2003)
... The concert was an excellent opening to this year's "Little
Maarnach Festival".
From the very first notes of Mozart's Sonata in C major K296,
the performers' concept was clear: a balanced, mutually fine-tuned
style in the best chamber music tradition. In Mozart, this meant
the keyboard taking the lead, while the violin kept up a more
or less running commentary on the music. Alexander Vavtar's sensitive
flexibility matched the violinist's cultivated, ardent tone.
A relaxed empathy also marked the atmosphere of Cesar Bresgen's
"Fantasie" for violin and piano. The duo effortlessly
brought out the folk-traditional freshness of this tuneful piece.
Beethoven's Sonata in A minor op 23 demanded a much more expressive
and energetic style. The pianist once more brought out the more
striking points, while the violinist followed her partner's rhythmic
and dynamic nuances with supple bowing technique and intense
though never obtrusive sonority. The audience enjoyed a discreetly
measured and sensitive interpretation.
In Arvo Pärt's "Fratres", the duo :nota bene:
revealed their technical and musical competence in modern sound
aesthetics. Throughout the work, Eva Steinschaden and Alexander
Vavtar sustained a smooth curve of musical tension.
In Brahms' Sonata in A major op 100, the violinist demonstrated
an imposing sense of the emotional content and the melodic contours.
Her lyrical phrasing breathed charm into the interpretation.
Alexander Vavtar's brief and well-chosen introductory words on
the two contemporary works are worthy of mention.
This was unquestionably a worthwhile opening concert.
(Das Luxemburger Wort/Luxembourg, May 2003)
... An evening for connoisseurs in the stately baroque ambience
of the Benedictine monastery of Seitenstetten. The performance
of the duo :nota bene: was characterised by amazing precision
and musicality. The harmony and accuracy of their ensemble was
evident above all in the Sonata op. 23 by Ludwig van Beethoven
and the Sonata op. 100 by Johannes Brahms, Eva Steinschaden's
clear, rounded tone was striking here, as well as her full sound
and precise bowing technique at the musical climaxes.
The musical and well thought-out interpretation of the pianist
Alexander Vavtar demonstrated on the one hand a perfect command
of his métier and on the other his mastery of musical
form.
Thus their rendering of Cesar Bresgen's Fantasie for violin
and piano was sensitive and effective, and their excellent ensemble
was particularly impressive in Anton Webern's "Four Pieces".
This was a most enjoyable recital, with two refined musicians.
(Niederösterreichische Nachrichten/Austria, November
2002)
... The music that evening was a flag for peace and fraternity
between people. The famous and outstanding duo :nota bene: is
a couple in life as well as in their musical message. Through
this close daily sharing, the communication becomes perfect,
despite the hard competition shown between piano and violin,
where Eva Steinschaden handled the violin with expansive confidence.
In Mozart's Sonata for piano and violin KV 296 in C major the
duo showed perfect harmony in an atmosphere enhanced by bursts
of applause from the audience, who listened to the two artists
with delight and enthusiasm. What a genial dialogue between piano
and violin! This sonata has introduced more than one Duo to the
world of legend. Tonight, this exceptional duo came to complete
the series and secure its continuity.
In Schubert's Sonata for piano and violin D 385 in A minor, Steinschaden
with eyes closed, strolling in a world made for people
of genius expressed the visions of this work, and Vavtar
was bound attentively to the relationship with his partner, to
the note and the melody; this attention allowed the violinist
to play with confidence, performing the piece in the right spirit.
In Brahms's Sonata for piano and violin op. 100 in A major the
violin flowed like a waterfall, respecting the techniques of
Brahms and his Romanticism, while the piano entered into the
dialogue without overwhelming the poetic quality of the string
part.
In Webern's "Four pieces" op 7, polyphonic voices spread
in all directions from piano and violin, separated from each
other, reminding us of sounds heard in daily life.
(An-Nahar/Lebanon, September 2002)
... The duo :nota bene: offers the listener both elegant Viennese
elegance refinement and Romantic sensuousness, as well as the
restless syncopations of contemporary music.
This evening's programme comprised opulent and melodious works
by Mozart, Schubert, Webern and Brahms.
A select audience had the opportunity of admiring these two masterly
young performers, who demonstrate their versatile and subtle
talent with conviction and vivacity. Applause for one of the
warmest and most expressive concerts, which brought this year's
summer season to a harmonious close.
(L'Orient/Lebanon, September 2002)
... The fine duo :nota bene: started its programme with Mozart's
Sonata for piano and violin KV 296 in C major. The violin intonation
was clean and limpid. The use of vibrato was economical, which
added to the tonal clarity. The piano part was sensitive and
enthusiastic.
Schubert's Sonata for piano and violin D 385 in A minor was performed
with intense and responsive feeling and gusto. Both artists deserve
sincere congratulations for this interpretation.
The last item in this fine recital was Brahms's Sonata for piano
and violin op. 100 in A major. Eva Steinschaden performed Brahms
with marked zeal and with an intense vibrato. This Sonata was
a real climax for this rewarding recital given by two refined
and dedicated young artists. There was enthusiastic applause
from the audience. The duo is to be congratulated on an excellent
and stimulating concert.
(Syria Times/Syria, September 2002)
... The new CD by the duo :nota bene: is impressive in every
way. Besides the beautifully performed recordings of a variety
of works by such diverse composers as Mozart, Schnittke, Kardeis
and Ravel, both the content and the design of the booklet have
outstanding appeal. Highly recommended for all music-lovers!
(Jazzzeit/Austria, June 2002)
... The duo :nota bene: stands for soundness and impeccability.
These well-balanced partners know precisely what is important.
Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar take a matter-of-fact view
of things and are ready to accept a challenge.
In Schubert's A minor Sonata D 385 the violinist, with great
self-assurance, brought lyrical shape even to the enormous dimensions
of the final movement.
György Kurtág's "tre pezzi" op 14e were
played with the appropriate, rather austere sound and form.
Their rendering of Anton Webern's "Four pieces" op
7 showed a fine sense of the effects to be achieved in these
miniatures no accent overstated, no inner motion left unexploited.
The "Blues" in the Sonata by Maurice Ravel was imaginatively
shaped, with irony and animation; in the outer movements, it
was the pianist who set the tone with lines of charm and elegance.
(Salzburger Nachrichten/Austria, April 2002)
... In their recital for the International Mozarteum Foundation,
the violinist Eva Steinschaden and the pianist Alexander Vavtar
were on their home ground in the Wiener Saal of the Salzburg
Mozarteum.
The programme had interlinking themes: Mozart and Schubert, Webern
and Bresgen, with Ravel and Kurtág in between.
The works were shown to advantage by the duo's spirit of musical
partnership, with no jostling for the limelight. Their sound
technique enabled them to give a decisive but not insensitive
rendering of the Ravel sonata.
Their commitment to 20th-century music was well worth while in
György Kurtág's "tre pezzi" op 14e, as
well as in Anton Webern's "Four pieces" op 7,
which they played with a fine sense of tonal nuance.
The programme also included a welcome tribute to Cesar Bresgen,
with his "Romanian Suite".
(Salzburger Volkszeitung/Austria, April 2002)
... Last night's concert was given by the duo :nota bene:,
whose visit to Zacatecas was eagerly awaited.
What we heard was calculated to satisfy even the most demanding
tastes. The duo presented music that came from the heart, performed
with complete honesty, without affectation or constraint.
Eva Steinschaden's bowing technique is remarkable, with enviable
legato and clarity in other bowings, and Alexander Vavtar is
her equal throughout the performance.
First, they gave a faultless interpretation of Anton Webern's
"Four pieces" op 7.
They continued with the Sonata in C major KV 296 by Mozart, the
remarkable feature of this performance being the depth of feeling
shown by both musicians. A interpretation of human warmth, as
we heard here, will always be preferable to cold perfection.
After the interval, there followed the Sonata in A minor D 385
by Franz Schubert, whose apparently simple musical language suddenly
proves fiendishly difficult in performance. It is no exaggeration
to assert that it is a long time since we have had the opportunity
of hearing this quality of Schubert playing.
Leaving their "Austrian soul" behind, the musicians
then practically transformed themselves into wandering gypsies,
to perform Cesar Bresgen's "Romanian Suite" full
of local colour and spiced with bold harmonies.
In short, a serious programme, showing respect for the audience
without lapsing into indulgence.
(El Sol de Zacatecas/Mexico, March 2002)
... The violin/piano duo :nota bene: presents its second recording:
Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar once more juxtapose "old"
and "new" works in mutual reflection here Mozart
and Ravel provide a "frame" for Schnittke and Kardeis,
in a finely highlighted mixture.
(Salzburger Nachrichten/Austria, December 2001)
... The Salzburg duo :nota bene: performed the first concert
of the Wiesbaden Mozart Society's season, in the assembly rooms
of the "Kurhaus Wiesbaden". A well-balanced programme,
with one sonata each by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert.
This might summarise the event but in fact, there was a
great deal more to it, for the duo :nota bene: demonstrated once
again what a fine thing it can be to make music together. Total
concentration on essentials thus the audience was captivated
first by Alexander Vavtar's piano-playing. On this foundation,
the violinist Eva Steinschaden was able to make her instrument
sing. She brought to bear a seriousness which allowed each note
to "speak", without losing sight of the whole. And
Alexander Vavtar stood by her both strongly and sensitively.
Thus Mozart's Sonata in C minor KV 303 and Schubert's Sonata
in A major D 574 came as real surprises. Common to both performers
is their highly differentiated style. Then there is that extra
touch of mutual harmony which goes far beyond successful communication
between two players.
(Wiesbadener Kurier/Germany, September 2001)
... The Salzburg duo :nota bene: played two sonatas each by
Mozart and Schubert, in the assembly rooms of the "Kurhaus
Wiesbaden".
The performance of this ensemble is characterised by homogeneity
of sound and expression. The violinist Eva Steinschaden played
with a warm, fine tone, in complete harmony with the precise
and practised accompaniment of the pianist Alexander Vavtar.
Schubert's Sonata in A minor D 385 alternated between a firm,
resolute and a gentle, highly sensitive rendering. The romantic
elements of the second movement were brought out in beautifully
flowing lines, while the final movement raced along, lively and
dynamic. Similar comments apply to the vital and well-balanced
interpretation of Schubert's Sonata in A major D 574.
All in all, a good start to this year's concert series of the
Wiesbaden Mozart Society.
(Wiesbadener Tagblatt/Germany, September 2001)
... "Off-beat" music for the discriminating ear!
They play classics - in the wider sense. They take unusual classical
pieces, and their interpretation gives the listener a new angle.
They also venture into the field of free jazz. The duo :nota
bene: follows the trail of chamber music blues. Eva Steinschaden
(violin) and Alexander Vavtar (piano), living their rhythms in
a wide variety of contemporary strains, make a unique classical
duo.
:nota bene: adopt an avant-garde approach to Mozart's works.
They also show great flexibility in their interpretation of both
Schnittke's Sonata no. 3 and "Music without pictures"
by Kardeis. Their sensitivity and expressive power show to
particular advantage in Ravel's Sonata for piano and violin,
opening new vistas on to the world of Ravel.
(Flachgauer Nachrichten/Austria, April 2001)
... The internationally known Austrian duo :nota bene: Eva
Steinschaden (violin) and Alexander Vavtar (piano) have added
works by Charles Camilleri to their repertoire. On their last
concert tour in Mexico, and for the Lungau Cultural Association
in Salzburg, they performed Camilleri's "Three Folk Songs
from Malta".
(Sunday Times/Malta, February 2001)
... CD recordings bear constant witness to the achievements
of young musicians. One recent example is an outstanding advertisement
for the Salzburg duo :nota bene: already well-known in the chamber
music scene. Eva Steinschaden (violin) and Alexander Vavtar (piano)
recently presented their second CD. Warm-hearted in Mozart, soulfully
reflective in Schnittke, spirited in Ravel and lyrical in Kardeis.
A felicitous recording in the spirit of deepest confidence.
(Salzburger Volkszeitung/Austria, January 2001)
... The third music festival of the University of Colima,
Mexico, under the direction of the Bellas Artes Institute, concluded
with an outstanding performance by the duo :nota bene:. The Austrian
musicians played works for piano and violin by Mozart, Ravel,
Schnittke and Schubert. Worthy of special mention are the duo's
European technique, their wide-ranging musical development, their
virtuosity and talent, and their excellent interpretation of
the works.
(Escenario, Colima/Mexico, December 2000)
... Another interestingly compiled CD debut. The duo :nota
bene: presents itself as progressive and venturesome, with Mozart
and Schubert as well as with pieces by Enrique Granados, Anton
Webern and Arvo Pärt. This shows that young musicians dislike
restriction, and as they broaden their own horizon, their playing
does likewise for the listener. A good introduction, in every
sense.
(Salzburger Nachrichten/Austria, October 1998)
... Also local musicians who wish to make a name for themselves
on the highly competitive recording market frequently attract
notice. The latest new release from Salzburg is a CD by the duo
:nota bene:, for which five delicacies were selected from the
violin/piano literature. Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel"
(Mirror in the mirror), brings this recital by a talented duo
to a richly varied yet meditative close.
(Salzburger Volkszeitung/Austria, October 1998)
contact:
notabenesalzburg@aon.at
Duo :nota bene:
Eva Steinschaden/Alexander Vavtar
Haslachweg 1
A-5061 Elsbethen
Telefax: (+43-662) 63 63 81
mobile: (+43-664) 413 83 16