Kellermann and Migdal, Schubert: Sonatas Review
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Violinist Daniel Migdal and guitarist Jacob Kellermann have joined together to bring to life the music of Fraz Schubert in vibrant setting of violin and guitar. Migdal has already established himself as one of the most interesting and versatile young violinists in Sweden. He has performed as a soloist with Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Incheon Symphony Orchestra, and Gävle Symphony Orchestra. Migdal performs, on a violin made by J-B Vuillaume, as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, China and South Korea. Jacob Kellermann is an active Swedish guitarist, who regularly performs all over Sweden and has appeared internationally as a soloist and chamber musician in venues such as: Seoul Art Center, Prinzregententheater and Gasteig Munchen, Musikgebouw Amsterdam and Brucknerhaus Linz. His concerts have been broadcasted by Radio and TV in Sweden (P2, SVT), Germany (BR) and South Korea (KBS). Kellermann plays a guitar crafted by the German luthier Matthias Dammann.
Migdal and Kellermann regularly perform together as duet called, “Duo KeMi.” Together they have toured all over Sweden, playing over 80 concerts, in addition to appearances in Germany, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and South Korea. In March 2010 the duo won first prize in “Aschaffenburg Internationalen Wettbewerb für Kammermusik mit Gitarre.” In 2017, the duo performed an extensive tour of China. Migdal and Kellermann are releasing their debut album that contains transcriptions of three Franz Shubert Sonatas for guitar and violin. That’s the short of it!
Positives:
Bringing the music of Schubert to life in a dynamic duet that captures one of the earliest composers of Romantic era that is rooted in the Classical era. Both perform beautifully, and the recording quality is excellent. The duet captures the lyricism and harmonic flow of Schubert’s music with passion and attention to detail. The phrasing of the melodies is romantically driven, with breaths and flow. While the harmony is always clear in the duet’s clarity of sound, production and attention to each lines sonority in the transcription.
Bottom Line:
Badniel Migdal and Jacob Kellermann bring Franz Shubert to life with an outstanding recording of three Sonatas transcribed for violin and guitar. The three Sonatas are: Sonata in A minor, D. 821, Duo Sonata in A Major, Op. 162 D. 574 and violin Sonata in D Major, Op. 137, D 384. Two of the Sonatas were transcribed for violin and guitar by Kellermann. Kellermann’s tone on the guitar is full, balanced and his technique is clean with projection. Migdal’s playing is passionate and his warm tone is consistent throughout the range of the violin. Both have a chemistry together that allows the music to breath, while maintaining energy and direction of phrase. The counterpoint is presented clearly as each voice is given character and a space to sit within the sound space. The album is a joy to listen to with both performers playing the music in a manner that is lyrically beautiful. Magnificent transcriptions like this keep the classics alive and moving forward by innovative and brilliant musicians like Migdal and Kellermann.