Quartet from Austria gave a concert November 9, 2016 in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. The Vienna team Janoska introduced improvisation on classic songs from the new album “Janoska Style”, released by Deutsche Grammophon / Universal Music. The album is a mix of original compositions and virtuoso classical works.
The ensemble was founded in 2013 by three brothers – Ondrej, Roman and Frantisek Janoska, and their brother-in-law Julius Darvas. Ondrej and Roman – violinists, Frantisek – pianist and Julius Darvas plays the double bass. Janoska brothers were born in Bratislava (Slovakia) in a family of musicians, but got his musical education in Vienna. Their brother-in-law was born in the Hungarian musical family and finishing his musical education in Austria. In May 2016 at the Vienna Concert Hall, they presented their debut album “Janoska Style”.
During their musical existence the ensemble performed at the most prestigious concert halls of the world, such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Sydney Opera House, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, London Royal Albert Hall and many others. Operaplus wrote about the concert of the ensemble in Slovakia: “To invite ensemble Janoska on Festival Viva Musica! it was a good idea for several reasons. Slovak public learned one more name, though unknown at home, but perfectly representing our music school abroad”.
Borislav Strulev, producer and a special guest of the concert, said that “the result of the work became completely full hall, there are no tickets. Today is my lucky day, not only as a cellist and a Muscovite, but also as a producer. We have long been friends, I played with the brothers in different collaborations, but with the ensemble Janoska our Russian debut was in my festival last year. These unique artists, this unique style of music, this musical extravaganza of different directions – this has never really been in Moscow, and in this hall”.
Operaplus wrote about the concert of the ensemble in Slovakia: “To invite ensemble Janoska on Festival Viva Musica! it was a good idea for several reasons. Slovak public learned one more name, though unknown at home, but perfectly representing our music school abroad”. In the German Klassikakzente have written about Janoska Album: “The new album of the ensemble Janoska combines different musical traditions. To create more than a thousand different sounds and colors, musicians do not need anything, except for two violins, a piano and a double bass”.
In the German Klassikakzente have written about Janoska Album: “The new album of the ensemble Janoska combines different musical traditions. To create more than a thousand different sounds and colors, musicians do not need anything, except for two violins, a piano and a double bass”.
The members of the quartet answered a few questions to editorial of cultural and political magazine “E Vesti”:
E Vesti: Tell us about Vienna and its influence on you? What is the audience? What feedback does it give?
Julius D.: You need to know Vienna is metropol of music. You can find many-many concerts, top quality classical concerts, also jazz music. Our music – Janoska style – it is our perspective for the classical music. We just see that it is many influence of music in Vienna. By classical music, traditional music, by jazz music, pop music and so we decided to make our own musical style of classical basic music.
Frantisek J.: Vienna is very open, it is the center of musical world and music culture. It was really important to start there because we learned a lot in Vienna, many musical cultures. When we playing in Vienna we have standing ovation. We are very known there. When i am thinking about Russian and Austrian audience – they are on the same level. Very emotional.
EV: Tell us about the tour in Slovakia? What audience is there?
Julius D.: We were invited to Slovakia one year ago and it was very tremendous concert because the brothers are from Slovakia so the press wrote “The sons of Bratislava are back to Slovakia”. That was a great audience.We touring a lot – we were in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, planned to tour in the United States, Holland.
EV: Tell me, what is your impression of the Russian public?
Julius D.: We were in Russia, but in Moscow today it’s our debut concert with this ensemble and we know that Russian people are very warmhearted, kind, and the reaction on our music is always big applause. We want to share our passion with the audience and our concert it’s not like a classical concert when everybody is sitting and listening. Our concert it’s improvisation, somebody clapping in the audience, it makes really good atmosphere. And we are watching forward that we can have this feeling this contact with the audience also in Moscow. We are very happy to be here and playing the concert.
Frantisek J.: I Love Russian public because they are very hearty, very big heart. It is very important for us because we are from family where our parents sang very beautiful Russian romances for us from our childhood. Also this kind of music, this emotional. I was playing many times in Russia but I want come every year because it is beautiful, they love the music, can really understand what we do. It is really important for us.
