Victor & Luis del Valle, Duo-pianos – José Miguel Rodilla conducting Orquesta Sinfonica de la Region de Murcia – November 6, 2009 – Recorded by Radio Nacional España/Radio Clasica –
Over to Spain this week for a concert from one of Spain’s regional orchestras; Orquesta Sinfonica de la Region de Murcia, recorded on November 6, 2009 and featuring the duo-piano team of brothers Victor & Luis del Valle and the orchestra conducted by Jose Miguel Rodilla in music of Manrique de Lara, Francis Poulenc and Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
The concert starts with Agamenón by Manrique de Lara. The del Valle brothers join for the Concerto for two pianos and Orchestra by Francis Poulenc. The concert concludes with the ever-popular/always-played Symphony Number 4 by Tchaikovsky.
A few words about the soloists via their Facebook page:
Victor & Luis del Valle have been described by musical critics as “a prodigy”, “audible beauty, virtuosity…in their exceptional innovation of piano skill” (El País, Spanish newspaper). “Brothers Luis and Víctor del Valle, with Ravel”s “Valse”, “broke” the sound barrier, achieving magical tones.” (Alerta, Spanish newspaper); “…splendid and masterful virtuosity, unprecedented risk, exceptional style become one in these two musicians… One hears works of Mozart very few times in such a convincing way” (Stuttgarter Zeitung); “…they made two pianos sound like the Wiener Philharmoniker” (Panamá América- Epasa); “… these magnificent pianists respect styles and techniques, and they also show clearly and strongly their own young voice, daring, full of life and humour, expressive and musical to the utmost.” (La Provincia. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria newspaper).
They have taken counsel from Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Blanca Uribe, Katia & Marielle Labèque, Ferenc Rados, Menahem Pressler, Zoltán Kocsis, Daniel Barenboim and Martha Argerich.
From 2008, Victor and Luis del Valle combine their artistic activities with their teaching career in Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón and at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía (Madrid). They are both frequently invited to give piano and chamber music master classes in Spain as well as abroad.
The “Instituto Andaluz de la Juventud” (Andalusian Board for Youth) from the “Junta de Andalucía” (Andalusian Government) has awarded them with the Distinction “Premio Málaga Joven” for promoting Málaga abroad.
Amongst their performances, they have played with the RTVE Orchestra, the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, l”Orquestra Nacional de Cambra d”Andorra, Jove Orquestra Nacional de Catalunya (JONC), “Siemens Chamber Orchestra” of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, Bialystok Philharmonic, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Munchener Kammerorchester, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Helsinki Philharmonic, conducted by Bogdan Oledski, Howard Griffiths, James Ross, Miquel Ortega, Ralf Gothoni, Manuel Valdivieso, Peter Csaba, Juanjo Mena, Yakov Kreizberg, André de Ridder, Guillermo García Calvo, Okko Kamu…
They have given concerts in the International Piano Festival “Vladimir Spivakov” (Moscow), “Sommets Musicaux” in Gstaad (Switzerland), Festival Jeunes Talents (Paris), Festival Internacional de Cadaqués (Girona), Perelada International Festival (Catalonia), Santorini International Festival (Greece), Festival Internazionale “Dino Ciani” (Italy), Rheingau Musik Festival, Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele (Germany), Silly “Printemps Musical” in Belgium, Espoo International Piano Festival (Finland).
Now that you know; relax, get comfortable, click on the player and enjoy the next 90 or so relatively stress-free minutes. The real world can wait for a bit – it’s not going anywhere.