Mutter Accross The Stars

John Williams In Vienna’ featuring the legendary composer’s debut concert with the Vienna Philharmonic will be released in August 2020.

John Williams and Anne-Sophie Mutter reunite for World Premiere recording of the composer’s Violin Concerto No. 2 alongside three film themes in special new arrangements. Now available as a special single-disc Blu-ray edition of the album featuring all tracks in Pure Audio – also available in Surround and Dolby Atmos – along with films of last summer’s world premiere of the second violin concerto at Tanglewood, together with the artists’ encore performance of “Across the Stars” (from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones); the three film themes in concert from Boston; and a 25‑minute interview with John Williams and Anne-Sophie Mutter at Tanglewood.

Anne-Sophie Mutter’s first Bach recording for DG couples his Concertos BWV 1041 and BWV 1042 with the world-premiere recording of the Concerto commissioned by her from Sofia Gubaidulina, the Russian composer who regards Bach as her greatest source of inspiration. Mutter gave the premiere performance of Gubaidulina’s Concerto at the 2007 Lucerne Festival and will record the work with the London Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev at the beginning of 2008.

Staples of the violin repertoire, the three violin sonatas of Johannes Brahms, project three entirely different characters: the G major Sonata's solemn, lonely beauty; the exuberance and freedom of the A major Sonata; and the aggressive, agitated D minor Sonata. As much as the sonatas contrast with one another, so to does Anne-Sophie Mutter's playing of them. Her vision throughout this Deutsche Grammophon collaboration with pianist Lambert Orkis seems to be built on creating broad distinctions in dynamic range, tempo, and tone color.

The violin is Penderecki’s own instrument (he studied it during his youth), it can therefore be argued that he has a special relationship with the instrument, perhaps it was this relationship that was the spark of inspiration that led to him writing the Concerto after he and Anne-Sophie Mutter performed the Violin Concerto No. 1 of Prokofiev together in 1988, with the resulting Concerto described as creating an “impression of a vast labyrinth” in the booklet notes.

Ms. Mutter makes the violin sing in this fine collection of violin concertos recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic. Ms. Mutter was discovered by Herbert von Karajan at age 13, declared by him as "the greatest musical prodigy since the young Menuhin" and played with the Berlin Philharmonic as a teenager. The two Mozart concertos were recorded when she was only 15. The other concertos were recorded before she was twenty years old. My favorite is the Mendelssohn concerto. Ms. Mutter plays its haunting theme with elegance,flair and fire. Her passion and precision are evident through the difficult passages. Married to conductor Andre Previn, who wrote a violin concerto for her, Ms. Mutter never fails to intrigue her audience, making her vioin sing with colorful, soulful voices.

Celebrated German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is joined by pianist Lambert Orkis for this performance of three violin sonatas by Johannes Brahms

Anne-Sophie Mutter and Pablo Ferrández – a musical team united by friendship, inspiration and mentorship. Established as musical partners for many years, Anne-Sophie Mutter discovered the Spanish cellist’s extraordinary talent early on. Described by her as ‘someone truly special’ the world star violinist invited him into her foundation and circle of “Mutter’s Virtuosi”, young talents she supports and tours with. Since then, Pablo Ferrández has made himself a name on his own, developed into a sought-after, award-winning soloist home at the world’s most prestigious concert halls. For this recording, both artists, mentors and friends unite once more to capture their musical friendship on their first joint album with pianist, long term collaborator and friend Lambert Orkis, conductor Manfred Honeck and the Czech Philharmonic.

When she was a fresh 15-year-old violinist in 1978, Anne-Sophie Mutter made her recording debut with a coupling of Mozart's Third and Fifth Violin Concertos with Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. Now as an accomplished 42-year-old virtuoso in 2003, Mutter has recorded all five of Mozart's violin concertos plus his Sinfonia Concertante with herself conducting the London Philharmonic.