Concerts have taken Fenella Humphries all over the world to venues from the Southbank Centre to Helsinki Music Centre, so we can’t wait for her to come to Clapham this Sunday.
Fenella will be performing Bach To The Future, BBC Music Magazine‘s Instrumental Disc of the Month, six new unaccompanied violin works as part of our Sunday Music programme. But who does critically acclaimed Fenella (★★★★★ The Scotsman) consider her violin faves?
Ginette Neveu
My total hero as a kid – she was such an incredible violinist and musician but unfortunately died super young in a plane crash.
Josef Hassid
A child prodigy – and one of the world’s biggest violin geniuses. Kreisler said of him “a violinist like Heifetz is born every 100 years; one like Hassid every 200 years” which says everything really. He developed schizophrenia, and after a lot of treatment eventually died at just 27 due to complications following a lobotomy. The 9 recordings he made aged 15 have haunted me since I first heard them as a little kid.
Fritz Kreisler
I’ve never heard any musician who warms my heart in the way every single Kreisler performance does. The beauty of his sound and vibrato, the elegance and grace of his musicality are second to none. If I really need a hug and there’s nobody around, the next best thing is to listen to one of his recordings – he always manages to make the world feel like it’s a kinder, better place.
Pekka Kuusisto
I first met Pekka at a chamber music festival when I’d just finished studying, and encouraged to tone down my ideas. It was a revelation to meet and play with someone so crazy, and who gave me the courage to explore more rather than less. I always find listening to him perform makes me feel I’ve suddenly been dropped in a world of technicolour after a life of black and white!
Janine Jansen
I love her exquisite combination of honesty, beauty and intelligence in the music. Whatever repertoire I listen to her play, there’s never a moment that I’m not just completely swept along with the musical journey.
Bach To The Future will be at Omnibus Theatre 28 Oct as part of our Sunday Music programme – get your tickets HERE→
