Holliger: Violinkonzert "Hommage à Louis Soutter"

Heinz Holliger's violin concerto, entitled "Homage to Louis Soutter," paints a musical portrait of the experimental Swiss painter who originally began as a violinist and studied under Eugène Ysaÿe. Holliger interprets Soutter's agitated brushstrokes sonically and sees in his artistic work a continuation of his musical creation. The concert focuses on both Soutter's conflicted relationship with Ysaÿe and his pacifist activism, which is deeply rooted in his paintings. Thomas Zehetmair brings this complex, multifaceted work to life with passionate energy; his interpretation of Ysaÿe's third sonata provides a powerful introduction to Holliger's composition and reveals a key source of inspiration.