The Space Between the Notes – XLVII

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“Instinctively we recognise good music, and somehow or other, we know the real thing. When I have played in country schools where the children had never heard a flesh-and-blood musician in their lives, they listened attentively when I played first-rate pieces. When I played second-rate pieces – as an experiment only – they wriggled and stared out the window.” – Jascha Heifetz

An icon of violin mastery, Jascha Heifetz set new standards in performance during his lifetime. His grand noblesse survives him, his recordings continue to be important points of reference, digitally remastered with care and reverence. However, for a long time, the 1950’s performance of his memorable recording of Tomaso Antonio Vitali’s “Chaconne” was known primarily to the avid audiophile. Or violin nerd. My father and I are violin nerds. My father, an accomplished violinist, showed me the recording when I first began to learn the piece as a child.
It is with great pleasure and appreciation for that milestone recording of the 1950’s that organist Francesca Ajossa and I celebrate the release of our interpretation of Vitali’s “Chaconne”.

Gwendolyn Masin Plays Vitali's Chaconne

We recorded the Chaconne in Amsterdam’s Orgelpark. The space, a Mecca for organ players, holds at least nine phenomenal examples of the instrument. We recorded the Chaconne on the Sauer organ.
Recording proved difficult. There is an inbuilt time delay on the organ, not only between pressing the keys and hearing the sound, but the hall itself possesses great reverberation. Timing the sound took on entirely new proportions.
Seeing as the score is not written for organ, the effects that you hear are entirely conceived by Francesca and I.

The single is now available on all streaming platforms. You can listen to it here.

The official video was premiered on Gramophone Magazine’s “Choir and Organ” and will be available on streaming platforms soon.

Full listings of my recordings for Orchid Classics can be viewed here.

The Other Wieniawski

Gwendolyn Masin Plays Poldowski aka Wieniawski

Poldowski.
Sorry – what did you say?
Poldowski.

Poldowski was the talented daughter of famous violinist Henryk Wienawski. “Poldowski” was born Irene Regina Wieniawski. Her life presents itself as juxtaposition to that of, for instance Jascha Heifetz, or indeed, her father. I discovered her cheeky, irreverent, fabulous, and fabulously difficult “Tango” during the process of researching the Wienawski family tree (her uncle, Henryk’s brother was a well-known pianist during his lifetime). In “Tango”, this short but poignant piece, the density with which Wienawski’s daughter defies the standards set by her father and dispatches a whole new landscape of sounds for the violin is quite stunning.
“Tango” was recorded as part of my “Legends” album – and celebrates its film release on “The Strad Magazine” website this week and until 23 May.
Following that time, it will be available on streaming platforms everywhere.

Watch the film here.

Catch up with GAIA

Gwendolyn Masin im Berner Kulturagenda mit Klassik befreit

The 15^th GAIA Music Festival took place over 12 days in Thun, at the lake of Thun, in Bern, and as a guest appearance in Koblenz as part of the International Music Festival Koblenz. Titled “Mensch – Of Courageous Freedom and Freed Courage” it was a celebration of humanity, our tragedies and triumphs, and above all, our sense of civil courage.

If you don’t already, follow GAIA on social media (Instagram and Facebook); on our YouTube channel and stay tuned to our website where we regularly publish new recordings and films.
You can read two press articles here: Berner Kulturagenda and Der Bund.