Progetto Gibson - A legendary Stradivari Viola Lech Antonio Uszynski & Andriy Dragan

• Benedetto Marcello (1686 - 1739): Cello Sonata No. 6 in G Major, Op. 1 No. 6:
• 1 Cello Sonata No. 6 in G Major, Op. 1 No. 6: I. Andante (Arr. for Viola & Piano by G.A. Gibson) 02:07
• 2 Cello Sonata No. 6 in G Major, Op. 1 No. 6: II. Allegro (Arr. for Viola & Piano by G.A. Gibson) 01:47
• 3 Cello Sonata No. 6 in G Major, Op. 1 No. 6: III. Grave (Arr. for Viola & Piano by G.A. Gibson) 01:26
• 4 Cello Sonata No. 6 in G Major, Op. 1 No. 6: IV. Allegro (Arr. for Viola & Piano by G.A. Gibson) 01:30
• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Sonata for Viola and Piano in E-Flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2:
• 5 Sonata for Viola and Piano in E-Flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2: I. Allegro amabile 08:25
• 6 Sonata for Viola and Piano in E-Flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2: II. Allegro appassionato 05:37
• 7 Sonata for Viola and Piano in E-Flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2: III. Andante con moto - Allegro 07:55
• Joseph Joachim (1831 - 1907): Hebrew Melodies for Viola and Piano, Op. 9:
• 8 Hebrew Melodies for Viola and Piano, Op. 9: I. Sostenuto 04:16
• 9 Hebrew Melodies for Viola and Piano, Op. 9: II. Grave 05:27
• 10 Hebrew Melodies for Viola and Piano, Op. 9: III. Andante cantabile 05:46
• Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975): Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147:
• 11 Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147: I. Moderato 10:46
• 12 Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147: II. Allegretto 07:18
• 13 Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147: III. Adagio 15:30
• Total Runtime 01:17:50

Info for Progetto Gibson - A legendary Stradivari Viola

Gegenwärtig gibt es weltweit gerade mal neun Bratschen aus der Werkstatt des berühmten Instrumentenbauers Antonio Stradivari. Eine davon, die Stradivari Viola "Gibson" 1734, wird von dem Bratschisten Lech Antonio Uszynski gespielt. Benannt ist dieses Kleinod nach dem Engländer George Alfred Gibson (1849-1924), der Professor für Violine an der Königlichen Akademie in Berlin war sowie ein berühmter Solist und Bratschist im renommierten «Joachim-Quartett», in dem er das Instrument spielte. Mit dieser "Vergangenheit" gehört die "Gibson"-Bratsche momentan zu einem der wertvollsten Musikinstrumente weltweit. Johannes Brahms selbst hat dieses wundervolle Instrument noch gehört.. Die Bratschen-Sonate Op. 120 in Es-Dur von Johannes Brahms gehört demnach zu einem der Hauptwerke auf dem Album "Progetto Gibson" von Lech Antonio Uszynski, auf dem er Bratschenwerke eingespielt hat, welche geschichtlich oder musikalisch mit diesem wunderbaren Instrument in Verbindung stehen. Neben Brahms sind auch die Komponisten Benedetto Marcello sowie Joseph Joachim vertreten. Zusätzlich wurde die Sonate op. 147 von Dmitri Shostakovich ausgewählt, weil sie die einzigartige Klangschönheit, den Farbenreichtum und die Strahlkraft dieses besonderen Instrumentes wunderbar zur Geltung bringt. Begleitet wird Uszynski auf diesem Album von seinem langjährigen Duo-Partner, dem ukrainisch-schweizerischen Pianisten Andriy.

Lech Antonio Uszynski, Viola
Andriy Dragan, Klavier

Lech Antonio Uszynski
has emerged as one of the most promising violists of his generation. He is an exceptionally dedicated and gifted performer whose passionate artistry has been heard and embraced around the world.

He appeared as soloist at venues such as Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tonhalle Zurich, Konzerthaus Berlin, Herkulessaal Munich Laieszhalle Hamburg, Liederhalle Stuttgart, Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg, Beethovenhalle Bonn, Konzerthaus Wien, Szczecin Philharmony and many more. Chamber music is an important element of his work and life. Lech Antonio is the violist of the Stradivari Quartet, which successfully performs on major stages around the globe such as Kioi Hall Tokyo, Wigmore Hall London and NCPA Beijing. 2010 he founded the "Duo Cremona" with the young pianist Andriy Dragan, which is prizewinner of the ORPHEUS competition 2011.

In June 2011 Lech Antonio recorded as member of the Steve Reich ensemble Steve Reich's string quartets "Different Trains" & "Triple quartet" for EMI Classics. The same year his new recording with the Stradivari Quartet featuring Mozart’s “Prussian” quartets was released in October. In February 2018 his quartet released the complete Schumann quartets for RCA Red Seal / Sony Music.

He appears regularly as a soloist and chamber musician at international festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein, Rheingau Festival, Kissinger Sommer, Interlaken Classics, Stradivari Festival Cremona, “Contrast” Festival in Lviv, NCPA Beijing concert series. He has performed as chamber musician with artists such as Vilde Frang, Antoine Tamestit, Dmitri Siktovetsky, Thomas Demenga, Sabine Toutain, Janusz Wawrowski, Ingolf Turban Maximilian Hornung, Lars Vogt, Mayuko Kamio, Zakhar Bron, Sasha Sitkovetsky, Julian Rachlin, Soyoung Yoon, Eric le Sage, Gerard Wyss, Anna Fedorova, Danjulo Ishizaka, Linus Roth, Benedict Klöckner, Yulianna Avdeeva, Marc Bouchkov, Caroline Goulding, Christian Poltera and others. In the past years he is regularly invited as Guest Professor to Festivals and Conservatories where he can fulfill his passion for teaching.

Lech Antonio Uszynski was born 1986 in Padova, Italy as the son of a Polish family of musicians. He grew up in Switzerland where he studied violin under Professor Ana Chumachenco and Professor Zakhar Bron in Zurich. There he achieved his Master with distinction in 2007. He also completed a chamber music diploma with distinction under Prof. Gerard Wyss. He drew inspiration for viola performance from Rudolf Barshai and finished his studies with Prof. Michel Rouilly at the ZHdK in Zurich. Lech Antonio is prizewinner of numerous national and international awards and competitions.

Lech Antonio Uszynski is fortunate to have been playing from 2010-2017 on one of the 9 remaining Stradivari violas, the "Gibson" 1734 on loan from the "Stradivari Foundation Habisreutinger". Currently he performs on a rare Viola by the Master H. Willems from 1690.

Lech Antonio Uszynski is an Thomastik-Infeld Exclusive Artist and is playing on Vision Solo strings.

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