On their new CD Chanson Russe, the Van Amsterdam Duo (accordion + violin) takes listeners on a tour of widely divergent Russian 20th-century music. From the French neo-classicism of Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne to Shostakovich’s angular but sometimes playful Preludes, and from the light romanticism of Stravinsky’s beloved Chanson Russe to the surprisingly versatile Five Spanish Dances by accordion composer Anatoli Kusjakov: Chanson Russe features daring and innovative interpretations by a promising young chamber music duo.

With their unusual combination of instruments, Vincent and Jeanine van Amsterdam (brother and sister) engage the works on Chanson Russe from a fresh perspective. All the pieces are arranged in one way or other, but the musicians see this as an advantage:
Vincent van Amsterdam (accordion): “We want to create a dialogue with the composers. By arranging and transcribing the music, we sometimes bring surprising elements to the foreground.”
Jeanine van Amsterdam (violin): “Moreover, through working together on these pieces so intimately, we get to understand the music better”.

Reviews

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Luister, July ’16: ‘Jeanine’s delicate tone intertwines beautifully with the accordion.’

4 stars @ Dagblad van het Noorden: ‘Firm playing thightly heading towards the same direction.’

Opusklassiek.nl: ‘It all sounds superb.’