Korngold – Konjus: Violin Concertos etc

Violinist Thomas Albertus Irnberger from Salzburg, Austria, together with the Israel Symphony Orchestra and conductor Doron Salomon present with this new release two violin concertos, which are still relatively underrepresented in todays concert programs. Austrian composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold, mainly known for his opera Die tote Stadt and his later work as a composer for soundtracks in Hollywood, incorporates in his Violin Concerto D major Op. 35 themes and melodies from his movie scores. Of composer and violinist Julius Conus of French and Russian descent on the other hand there have until today been hardly any other compositions discovered besides his Violin Concerto in E minor. One to be mentioned, being a world premiere recording, is the Elegy Op. 2 No. 1 for violin and piano. Pianist Barbara Moser is also the musical partner to Irnberger with the four pieces from «Much Ado About Nothing» by Korngold.

Thomas Albertus Irnberger, born in Salzburg, began violin lessons at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, moved to Prof. Josef Sabaini in Linz and was taught by Ivry Gitlis in Paris. Further teachers included Mauricio Fuks, Yair Kless, Alberto Lysy, Igor Oistrach, Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Grigory Zhislin. Many awards, performances at international festivals and co-operations and recordings with musicians such as Jörg Demus, Evgueni Sinaiski or Paul Badura-Skoda as well as with the Israel Chamber Orchestra conducted by Roberto Paternostro and the orchestra ‘Spirit of Europe’ under its principal conductor Martin Sieghart stress the young Salzburger’s musical skills.

The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion (ISO) was founded in 1988 by the municipality of Rishon LeZion. A year later, in 1989, it became the resident orchestra of The Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv. Within a short period of time the ISO was accepted as one of the leading and most innovative musical organizations in Israel. As the Opera Orchestra the ISO participates in all the performances of The Israeli Opera season at the opera house in Tel Aviv and in the grand open-air performances, crowned in recent years with performances at the Masada Festival. In addition to being the first orchestra in Israel to publicly perform works by Richard Strauss, Alexander Zemlinsky and others, the ISO plays a major role in important local events, festivals and park concerts and creates a vital community impact of uncompromising quality in its programs of classical music, contemporary music, Israeli songs and popular music, contemporary dance, modern arts, cinema and other media. The ISO has toured Europe, China and South America, performing at the most prestigious festivals and concerts halls, receiving great acclaim from public and press alike. The ISO records for both radio and TV and has released a series of CDs including premieres of Israeli works.

Barbara Moser received her first piano lessons from Renate Kramer-Preisenhammer at the age of five at the University of Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna in 1975, which were followed by studies in piano performance with Heinz Medjimorec. In addition, the young pianist took two semesters with Greta Kraus at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and attended master classes with prominent music teachers; after unanimously passing her diploma examination with distinction, she took in-depth studies with Boris Bloch, Rudolf Buchbinder, Oleg Maisenberg and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Awarded many prizes and scholarships, today Barbara Moser regularly performs concerts as a soloist in Austria’s most important concert halls and at important international festivals. The artist is also interested in co-operating with singers. She has held concerts with such exceptional singers as Natalie Dessay, Plácido Domingo, Wolfgang Holzmair, Herbert Lippert, Michael Schade and Mara Zampieri. She is also much in demand in the field of chamber music, is a member of goldberg.trio.wien and holds concerts in different formations, frequently with members of the Vienna Philharmonic.