Complete Tango! by Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble

Ástor Piazzolla

Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble

Complete Tango!

Price: € 29.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917287325
Catnr: CC 72873
Release date: 26 February 2021
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Label
Challenge Classics

UPC
0608917287325

Catalogue number
CC 72873

Release date
26 February 2021

"The playing is full of verve and life, and I noticed particularly the driving bass which often underpins the ensemble [...] Van Keulen’s versions are very enjoyable and well worth hearing."

Musicweb International, 01-5-2021

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Press

About the album

Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble
“….They play the tango from heart to heart and directly into the hearts of those who have the privilege of experiencing Isabelle van Keulen and her tango ensemble!….” (Rosemarie Schmitt)
As a young girl, Isabelle van Keulen was already fascinated by Astor Piazzolla’s Tango Nuevo. It was only natural then that the internationally renowned violinist and violist consequently followed her desire by founding her own ensemble, surrounding herself with enthusiastic tango lovers and congenial music personalities:

Christian Gerber bandoneon
One of the leading soloists of his genre and significantly responsible for numerous arrangements for the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble. Christian Gerber won numerous prizes, one of which was the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis (German Records Award).

Ulrike Payer piano
Is one of the most versatile pianists of our time and as a musician, is known for her sensitive playing. Already in 1988, joint concerts with Alfredo Marcucci led her to work intensively in the genre of Argentine tango.

Rüdiger Ludwig double bass
This charismatic musician is associate principal bassist of the NDR Radio Philharmonic in Hannover and husband to Isabelle van Keulen.

A series of high-quality concerts in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, at the Rheingau Musik Festival, the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival, the Delft Festival, among others, launched the success story of the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble, which has since become well established on international concert stages and festivals. The subsequent recording of three successful CDs testifies to the success story, the vast repertoire, and the versatility of the ensemble. From the very beginning, the Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble has been dazzling its audiences through its depth of musical expression, its technical brilliance, and the simultaneous mixture of melancholy and severity which is so typical of the Tango Nuevo, pairing great joy in playing with intimacy

De Nederlandse topvioliste Isabelle van Keulen bracht de afgelopen jaren samen met haar ensemble drie prachtige cd’s uit met tangomuziek van Astor Piazzolla: Tango!, Grand Tango! en Ángeles y Diablos. Piazzolla’s meeslepende melodieën en spannende ritmes zijn zinderend en virtuoos. Als geen ander brengt hij de essentie van de tango zo goed over in muziek. Dit jaar zou de Argentijnse componist 100 jaar geworden zijn, op 11 maart. Een mooie gedachte om juist nu de drie cd’s met zijn tango’s te verzamelen en uit te brengen in een cd-box.

De internationaal vermaarde violiste Isabelle van Keulen heeft wat met de tango. Op haar zesde was ze al gefascineerd door de muziek van dé componist van de Tango Nuevo: Astor Piazzolla. Het is dan ook niet meer dan logisch dat ze jaren later haar droom volgde en als gevestigd violiste haar eigen Tango Nuevo ensemble oprichtte, het Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble. Isabelle wist zich omringd door even enthousiaste tangoliefhebbers en gelijkgestemde muziekpersoonlijkheden. Het werd een groot succes. Het ensemble brengt de aangrijpende schoonheid, melancholie en kracht van de muziek van Piazzolla op een directe manier over. Zoals de Duitse auteur Rosemarie Schmitt schreef: “Ze spelen de tango van hart tot hart en regelrecht in de harten van hen die het voorrecht hebben Isabelle van Keulen en haar tango-ensemble zelf te ervaren."

Samen met bandoneonist Christian Gerber, zelf een van de belangrijkste musici van zijn generatie, pianiste Ulrike Payer, bekend om haar veelzijdigheid en flexibiliteit in alle muzikale genres en contrabassist en echtgenoot van Isabelle, Rüdiger Ludwig, een charismatisch musicus en solobassist van het NDR Orkest Hannover, inspireert Isabelle het publiek op het hoogste niveau van perfectie en met muzikale intensiteit.

Het Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble is een vaste waarde op de internationale concertpodia en festivals. Vanaf het allereerste begin brachten de musici het publiek in vervoering door hun diepe muzikale expressie, briljante techniek en de voor de tango zo typerende mengeling van melancholie en ernst, die grote spelvreugde combineert met intimiteit.
Het uitbrengen van de drie succesvolle cd’s Tango!, Grand Tango! en Ángeles y Diablos, nu verzameld in een cd-box, getuigt van het succesverhaal, het uitgebreide repertoire en de veelzijdigheid van het ensemble.

Tango! De eerste cd met tangomuziek van het Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble. Piazzolla’s meeslepende melodieën en spannende ritmes zijn zinderend en virtuoos. Als geen ander kan hij de essentie van de tango zo goed overbrengen met muziek. Van het intense Michelangelo ‘70 tot de lente uit Piazzolla’s eigen, Argentijnse Vier seizoenen. Een ultiem uitdagende vorm van samenspel.

Grand Tango! De vroege compositie van Piazzolla, Bando, draagt de bijnaam voor de bandoneon en heeft nog de strakke kenmerken van de traditionele klassieke tango. De titelsong Le Grand Tango is een ongebruikelijk stuk van Piazzolla, geschreven voor cello en piano en opgedragen aan de wereldberoemde cellist Mstislav Rostropovitsj. Christian Gerber voegde er een totaal nieuwe dimensie aan toe met complexe timbres en harmonieuze lagen. Adiós Nonino (Vaarwel opaatje) is een van de bekendste en meest uitgevoerde werken van Piazzolla, die het schreef na het overlijden van zijn vader. Denk aan de traan van Máxima op haar bruiloft, op het moment dat Carel Kraayenhof dit lied speelde.

Ángeles y Diablos zet het ensemble contrasterende en succesvolle stukken van Piazzolla tegenover elkaar: de vier 'Angel' stukken: Introduccio, Milonga, Muerte en Resureccion, tegenover de vier Diablo tango's Vamos del Diablo, Romance del Diablo, Tango del Diablo en Allegro Tangabile. De muziek heeft een rechtstreekse verbinding met de emoties en de contrasten zorgen voor extreem veel afwisseling van stemmingen en tempi. "In mijn verhaal vermengen engelen en duivels zich – je moet iets van alles hebben,” beweerde Piazzolla ooit. Een perfecte beschrijving van het leven zelf! En het verklaart ook waarom deze muziek de meeste mensen tot tranen toe beroert.

Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble
"....Sie spielen den Tango von Herz zu Herz und direkt in die Herzen derer, die das Privileg haben, Isabelle van Keulen und ihr Tango-Ensemble zu erleben! ...." (Rosemarie Schmitt)
Schon als junges Mädchen war Isabelle van Keulen vom Tango Nuevo von Astor Piazzolla fasziniert. Da war es nur konsequent, dass die international renommierte Geigerin und Bratschistin ihrem Wunsch nachkam und ein eigenes Ensemble gründete, in dem sie sich mit begeisterten Tangoliebhabern und kongenialen Musikerpersönlichkeiten umgibt:

Christian Gerber am Bandoneon
Einer der führenden Solisten seines Genres und maßgeblich verantwortlich für zahlreiche Arrangements für das Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble. Christian Gerber wurde mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet, u.a. mit dem Deutschen Schallplattenpreis.

Ulrike Payer Klavier
Ist eine der vielseitigsten Pianistinnen unserer Zeit und als Musikerin bekannt für ihr sensibles Spiel. Gemeinsame Konzerte mit Alfredo Marcucci führten sie bereits 1988 zu einer intensiven Beschäftigung mit dem Genre des argentinischen Tangos.

Rüdiger Ludwig Kontrabass
Der charismatische Musiker ist stellvertretender Solobassist der NDR Radiophilharmonie in Hannover und Ehemann von Isabelle van Keulen.

Eine Reihe hochkarätiger Konzerte u.a. im Concertgebouw Amsterdam, beim Rheingau Musik Festival, dem Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival und dem Delft Festival leitete die Erfolgsgeschichte des Isabelle van Keulen Ensembles ein, das sich inzwischen auf internationalen Konzertbühnen und Festivals etabliert hat. Die anschließende Aufnahme von drei erfolgreichen CDs zeugt von der Erfolgsgeschichte, dem großen Repertoire und der Vielseitigkeit des Ensembles. Von Anfang an begeisterte das Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble sein Publikum durch seine musikalische Ausdruckstiefe, seine technische Brillanz und die für den Tango Nuevo so typische Mischung aus Melancholie und Ernsthaftigkeit, die große Spielfreude mit Intimität paart

Artist(s)

Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble

The Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble was initiated in 2011 by the internationally well established violinist and violist Isabelle van Keulen, following her Carte Blanche concert series in the Concertgebouw Haarlem, the Netherlands, with the purpose to perform Astor Piazzolla’s Tango Nuevo master works to the highest technical and musical standards.
Together with bandoneonist Christian Gerber, he himself one of the leading performers of his generation, and winner of several prizes, a.o. the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, pianist Ulrike Payer, well known for her versatility and sensibility in all musical genres and double bass player Rüdiger Ludwig, a charismatic musician and Co-Principal of the NDR Orchestra Hanover, they overwhelmed their audience on their first appearance.
The result was a series of high profile concerts: Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Rheingau Music Festival, Schlesweg Holstein Festival, Delft Festival a.o., reinvitations followed immediately.
In 2013 their first CD and DVD „Tango!” appeared on Challenge Classics with well known works by Astor Piazzolla, which was highly praised in the international press and received several awards at Dutch and German radio stations: CD of the week with f.e. Hessische Rundfunk Frankfurt and Norddeutsche Rundfunk.
Together with the DVD production Challenge brought out a documentary about the making of the CD (‚Music from the Heart’). Following this suceess several tours were planned, Great Britain, Switzerland and the Benelux.
In 2015, the second CD of the ensemble, "Grand Tango!", received again excellent reviews - the renowned magazine "The Strad" wrote: "Van Keulen and her colleagues are the ideal interpreters for Piazzolla!" The release of the third Piazzolla recording "Ángeles y Diablos" will be followed to an extended concert activity again, leading the ensemble for the third time to the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, to Oslo and to various international festivals. In their concerts the Isabelle van Keulen ensemble inspires their audience with the highest level of perfection and musical intensity and transmits the poignant beauty, strength and melancholy Piazzolla’s music in a direct and gripping way.

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Isabelle van Keulen (violin)

”Her taut musical intelligence and vivid sound combined with a fine instinct for the tender, searching quality of this music … absolutely magical.” The Guardian Since her breakthrough in 1984 winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year, a competition that was broadcast all over Europe and watched live on television by millions, Isabelle van Keulen can now look back on many years of musical diversity. Not only is it always vital for her to approach the musical score with honesty and with an extremely consious approach to interpretation, she also strives to communicate with her audiences and musical partners, allowing her to perform in an inspirational, lively and enthusiastic manner.
Her versatility lies in the fact that she not only plays the violin, but as well viola with the same energy, performing chamber music in any thinkable combination and directing chamber orchestra performances. Whether in the over 20 year intense collaboration with the Dutch pianist Ronald Brautigam, concerts with mezzo soprano Christianne Stotijn, performing/directing the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, combining violin and viola in one appearance, or being a soloist with orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic or NHK Tokyo. Above all, being faithful to the music is her highest priority.
She has over the course of her career engaged works written by contemporary composers. She had many concertos written especially for her (Theo Loevendie, Erkki-Sven Tüür) and has many other 20th and 21st century works in her repertoire: Concertos by Henri Dutilleux, John Adams and Lera Auerbach. She also likes to perform less known works by Colin Matthews and Concertos by Krenek, Pettersson and Busoni.

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Christian Gerber (bandoneon)

Christian Gerber is one of the most sought after and versatile bandoneon. With its founded in 2001, 'Quinteto Angel' He is a regular guest all over Europe and shared the stage with numerous sizes of the tango as Alberto Podestá, Juan José Mosalini, Alfredo Marcucci, Raul Garello, Luis Stazo and others. As a guest he played among others already at the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne radio, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Staatsoper Hannover, the Hamburg Philharmonic and the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra. In addition to the participation in numerous genre - cross-border projects and concerts with contemporary music, film and theater music and round - compositions (eg for the German Theater Berlin, the Schaubühne Berlin, the Hamburg Schauspielhaus) his musical work from. Since 2003, he...

Christian Gerber is one of the most sought after and versatile bandoneon.
With its founded in 2001, "Quinteto Angel" He is a regular guest all over Europe and shared the stage with numerous sizes of the tango as Alberto Podestá, Juan José Mosalini, Alfredo Marcucci, Raul Garello, Luis Stazo and others. As a guest he played among others already at the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne radio, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Staatsoper Hannover, the Hamburg Philharmonic and the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra.
In addition to the participation in numerous genre - cross-border projects and concerts with contemporary music, film and theater music and round - compositions (eg for the German Theater Berlin, the Schaubühne Berlin, the Hamburg Schauspielhaus) his musical work from. Since 2003, he plays with the group "Tango Crash" ("Prize of German Record Critics' 2008") and is part of the group "Stazo Mayor" by Grammy award winner Luis Stazo.

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Ulrike Payer (piano)

Ulrike Payer counts among the most versatile pianists of our time. Her repertoire not only includes solo pieces, as well as all renowned concerts and chamber music pieces and lieder, but also covers various styles and eras, from Baroque to modern day classical music.
Having been born into a theatre-based family in Wuppertal, Ulrike Payer studied in Brussels, Cologne and Hanover, winning several international prizes. Additionally she studied with Alexis Weissenberg, Tatjana Nikolajewa and the Amadeus Quartet.
Apart from working with different orchestras und such renowned conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Kirill Petrenko and Justus Frantz, Ulrike Payer is a regular guest at festivals throughout the world, for example at Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival, Rheingau Musik Festival, Delfter Kammermusikfestival, Peking Festival, Usedomer Musikfestival, La folle journée au Japon. Radio-, CD- and TV recordings document the wide variety of the artist’s work.
As a pianist, Ulrike Payer distinguished herself not only in the world of classical music, but also as an interpreter of Tango Argentino. An encounter with Alfredo Marcucci in 1998 was followed by concert appearances and an intense and fundamental exploration of the genre. Consequently, Ulrike Payer played concerts alongside the most prominent Argentine musicians, such as Cholo Montironi, Norberto Bondino, Carlos Buono and the Sexteto Mayor .
As a pianist with the NDR-Sinfonieorchester, Ulrike Payer worked with conductors Semyon Bychkov, Michael Gielen, Alan Gilbert und Andris Nelsons. Her chamber music partners include Isabelle van Keulen und Orfeo Mandozzi; in recent years, she has co-operated with Christian Poltéra, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Alisa Weilerstein und Saschko Gawriloff. A close collaboration exists with the actors Nina Hoger and Christian Brückner.
From 1999 to 2003 Ulrike Payer held a teaching assignment at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt am Main. Since 2004, she has been teaching at the Musikhochschule Mainz and the Musikhochschule Saarbrücken and is currently working with Nobuko Imai and Nils Mönkemeyer at Kronberg Academy.

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Rüdiger Ludwig (double bass)

Rüdiger Ludwig was born 1970 in Mainz and received his first double-bass lessons at the age of fifteen. After one year he joined the National German Youth Orchestra and participated in the young talent classes from the conservatory of Mainz and two years later he continued his studies with Professor Günter Klaus at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main.
1991 he joined the European Union Youth Orchestra and performed as principal double-bass under the direction of conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Carlo Maria Giulini, Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy and James Conlon.
After playing for one year at the Saarbrücken Radio Orchestra, Rüdiger Ludwig became 1995 co-principal double-bass at the NDR Hanover Radiophilharmonie, where he since performs in concerts both for radio and television in Germany and countries abroad like Japan, Spain, Brasil, Argentina, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, France and Norway. Next to this he performs regularly as a guest in orchestras like Hamburg State Opera, WDR Radio-Orchestra Köln, HR Radio-Orchestra Frankfurt, Luzern Festival Orchestra and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Over the years he interpreted all the major double-bass concertos with several orchestras.
Rüdiger Ludwig made recordings for the NDR Radio, both solo and chamber music as a member of the Ensemble Oktoplus among other soloist of the NDR Radiophilharmonie. Furthermore he appears regularly on chamber music platforms with artists like Isabelle van Keulen, the Leopold String Trio and Ulrike Payer.
He performs on a Auguste Sebastien Phillipe Bernardel („Вernardel Pere“) double-bass from 1856.

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Composer(s)

Ástor Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) is one of most important tango composers of all time. Surprisingly, he spent a large part of his youth in New York. In 1937, Piazzolla returned to his mother country Argentina. There, he started to focus on a career as a classical pianist while in the evening he would play accordion in tango cabaret. From 1955, he worked on his own compositions and wove these two influences together to a new, refreshing sound: the 'tango neuvo'. At the wedding of crown prince Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta, Carl Kraayenhof made a spectacular impression with his performance of Adios Noniño. Piazzolla died in 1992.

At the wedding of crown prince Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta, Carl Kraayenhof made a spectacular impression with his performance of Adios Noniño. Piazzolla died in 1992.

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Press

The playing is full of verve and life, and I noticed particularly the driving bass which often underpins the ensemble [...] Van Keulen’s versions are very enjoyable and well worth hearing.
Musicweb International, 01-5-2021