Spring Mornings in the Days of Quarantine
Friedemann Eichhorn, Gropius Quartett, Konzerthausorchester Berlin
Fazil Say's talent as a pianist goes hand in hand with the scope of his compositions. Violin Concerto No. 2 was composed during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Say was enchanted by the colors and textures of the sunrise during a beach walk. "Leopards" is a lively piece for string sextet that makes use of Say's unique melodies and rhythms. The sonata for solo violin is an expressive tribute to the renowned Turkish violinist Rusen Gunes, while "String Quartet Divorce" tells the experience of separation and the failure of a relationship through the language of music. The artistic activities of the German-born violist Friedemann Eichhorn vary from performing early baroque music on historical instruments to classical and contemporary works with renowned orchestras and chamber music partners. Among many other works, Friedemann Eichhorn has rediscovered and recorded for the first time the complete violin concertos of French virtuoso Pierre Rode. He has also given world premieres of Fazil Say's Violin Concerto No. 2, Violin Sonata No. 2, and "Tristan und Isolde" transcriptions. Eichhorn is one of the founders of the Gropius Quartet and the Phaeton Piano Trio.
