Jansa Duo — Music for Violin and Violoncello
Founded in December 2006 by Christine Rox and Klaus-Dieter Brandt, Jansa Duo combines the principles of historically informed performance with the accomplishments of contemporary practice. Brilliant virtuosity and a keen historical sensibility form the basis of the ensemble’s approach to the highly diverse repertoire for violin and violoncello.
The rediscovery of nine Duos for violin and violoncello by Heinrich Anton Hoffmann (1770-1842) was the starting point for a deeper examination of the repertoire from the early Classical to late Romantic periods for a combination of instruments that enjoyed tremendous popularity with composers, musicians and audiences alike.
During the first half of the twentieth century, the string duo repertoire continued to grow with works by famous as well as less well-known and even persecuted composers.
A recording of Mendelssohn’s Piano Trios, played on period instruments, was released on the ARS Produktion label in September 2009. The first recording in Jansa Duo’s ‘Rare Chamber Music’ series with works by Schulhoff, Bachrich, Moór, Moser and Toch appeared in January 2010. Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 of the series were released in November 2010 and July 2011 respectively.
Leopold Jansa was an important 19th-century composer and violin virtuoso. Jansa was sought after as a principal, teacher and composer in Vienna and played an important role in educating the public and generations of musicians.
