Camille & Julie are the Berthollet sisters, two extraordinarily gifted musical siblings from the idyllic Rhône-Alpes region in France. Camille (age 18), plays violin and cello and Julie (age 20), violin and viola. They became celebrities in France when the then 15-year-old Camille won Prodiges, a TV show for classical virtuoso’s under the age of 16. Camille was immediately signed to Warner Classics, her debut album (featuring her older sister as a duo partner) achieved Gold status with more than 80,000 copies sold in France alone and more than 1.7 million streams. Their new album, called #3, contains a variety of styles from Bach to Sinatra, from Rachmaninov to soundtracks. The sibling sensations perform with poise, maturity and musical prowess all while bringing their own character to the music. The result? A fun classical outing that will entertain and awe. That’s the short of it!
Positives:
A nice varied program of styles and ensemble textures. The Berthollet sisters play with passion and emotion as they bring these various composers sixteen compositions to life. Camille’s sound and character on the violin is simply stirring and Julie’s character and blending with Camille’s violin playing on the cello is sublime.
Bottom Line:
We all know the magic of sibling vocal harmony, now with Camille & Julie we know that transfers to stringed instruments too! The interpretation and choice of material fit perfectly with these two prodigies. Classical music played beautifully and with character, #3 is very pleasant to listen to, whether for neophytes or experts in classical music. The Berthollet sisters are making classical music enjoyable to a wide audience, without compromising their artistic integrity. Bravo!