Written in 1977 by the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke, “Moz-Art à la Haydn” is a good-natured Mozartian parody that ends with an evocation of Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony”. Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The average age is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder Gidon Kremer. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world’s major musical venues.
Vivaldi, Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons)
In a career now spanning more than a quarter of a century, Gidon Kremer has confirmed his reputation as an artist of international stature and as a markedly individual personality. Kremer was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1947. At the age of 18, he auditioned for David Oistrach and was one of the few pupils chosen by the maestro to study under him at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1967 Kremer won his first international prize at the Reine Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. This was followed by further awards in Montreal and Genoa, and culminated in the first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1970. In 1981 Kremer founded the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival, where he gathers around him a varying, but always dynamic group of chiefly young musicians to discover new pieces and rediscover the standard works through new interpretations. Kremer is also actively committed to contemporary composers from Russia and Eastern Europe, such as Schnittke, Denisov, Gubaidulina and Pärt. In this recording, Kremer not only plays the solo part, but also leads the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. The recording was made in April 1981 in the splendid Baroque library of the monastery in Polling near Munich.