Constellation Virgil Boutellis-Taft

• Ernest Chausson (1855 - 1899): Poème, Op. 25:
• 1 Chausson: Poème, Op. 25 16:56
• Ernest Bloch (1880 - 1959): Baal Shem, B. 47:
• 2 Bloch: Baal Shem, B. 47: II. Nigun 07:47
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893): Sérénade mélancolique in B-Flat Minor, Op. 26:
• 3 Tchaikovsky: Sérénade mélancolique in B-Flat Minor, Op. 26 10:06
• Tomaso Antonio Vitali (1663 - 1745): Chaconne in G Minor:
• 4 Vitali: Chaconne in G Minor 09:57
• Shigeru Umebayashi (b. 1951): Yumeji's Theme (In The Mood for Love):
• 5 Umebayashi: Yumeji's Theme (In The Mood for Love) 02:39
• Leoš Janáček (1854 - 1928): Violin Sonata in A-Flat Minor, JW VII/7:
• 6 Janáček: Violin Sonata in A-Flat Minor, JW VII/7: I. Con moto 05:04
• 7 Janáček: Violin Sonata in A-Flat Minor, JW VII/7: II. Ballada 04:48
• 8 Janáček: Violin Sonata in A-Flat Minor, JW VII/7: III. Allegretto 02:51
• 9 Janáček: Violin Sonata in A-Flat Minor, JW VII/7: IV. Adagio 04:55
• Tara Kamangar: Once There Was and Once There Wasn't:
• 10 Kamangar: Once There Was and Once There Wasn't 03:08
• Philippe Hersant (b. 1948): Chants du Sud, Six Short Pieces for Solo Violin:
• 11 Hersant: Chants du Sud, Six Short Pieces for Solo Violin: Chant No. 5 01:10
• Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40 (Arr. for Two Violins by Virgil Boutellis-Taft & Irène Duval):
• 12 Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40 (Arr. for Two Violins by Virgil Boutellis-Taft & Irène Duval) 06:30
• André-Aminollah Hossein (1905 - 1983): Caravan (Arr. for Two Violins and Piano by Tara Kamangar):
• 13 Hossein: Caravan (Arr. for Two Violins and Piano by Tara Kamangar) 03:11
• Total Runtime 01:19:02

Info for Constellation

With “Constellation”, Virgil Boutellis-Taft reminds us that music provides one of the best ways to travel the world. In this programme, nourished by many influences, he presents some of the milestones of the violin repertoire (Chausson’s Poème, the Janáček Violin Sonata, Danse macabre by Saint-Saëns, arranged here for two violins…) together with several miniatures, reflecting a career marked by international concerts and a deep admiration for Yehudi Menuhin. The composer Tara Kamangar features alongside Philippe Hersant, André Hossein and Ernest Bloch, all of whom chart the course and show the sources of inspiration of this well-travelled violinist.

Virgil Boutellis-Taft, violin
Guillaume Vincent, piano
Irene Duval, violin
Cesar Birschner, piano
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Jac van Steen, conductor

Virgil Boutellis-Taft
Hailed by critics as an “outstanding violinist”, “of fiery temperament”, with “intense, brilliant, sumptuous sound” and “impressive virtuosity”, Virgil Boutellis-Taft performs as soloist and chamber musician in major international concert halls: Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, Wigmore Hall, Benaroya Hall, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Cammilleri Hall, Salle Gaveau, the Phillips Collection, Tel Aviv Opera …, and with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dayton Philharmonic, the Springfield Symphony, the Israel Chamber Orchestra Emeritus, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, the Sinfonia Varsovia.

Virgil is invited to play in major international festivals including Bowdoin (USA), La Roque d’Anthéron, La Folle Journée, The Music Moments of La Baule, The Violins de Légende, Clairvaux (France), Eilat and Red Sea-Valery Gergiev (Israel), Valdres (Norway), Prussia Cove (England). In chamber music, he shares the stage, with artists such as harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, pianists JuYoung Park, Guillaume Vincent, Lise de la Salle, Abdel Rahman El Bacha, Albert Cano Smit, Suzana Bartal, Cathy Krier, guitarist Thibaut Garcia, cellists Anne Gastinel and Camille Thomas … He also shared the stage in New York, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco with film composer and pianist Paul Cantelon, composer Tara Kamangar and Drew Heminger who all three have dedicated works to him. His album “Between East and West”, recorded in 2016 for Evidence Classics/Harmonia Mundi, has been hailed by critics, in particular for its “incandescent intensity”.

Booklet for Constellation