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Jelmer de Haas

Quirine Viersen & Vincent van Amsterdam

Bach, Pärt, Saint-Saëns
Sun 25 Sep ’22 12:00 uur

Quirine Viersen, cello
Vincent van Amsteram, accordion

Bach - Sonata in G minor
Stravinsky - Suite Italienne
Pärt - Pari Intervallo (solo accordion)
Pärt - Fratres
Saint-Saëns - Prière opus 158 

Sun 25 Sep ’22
12:00 uur
  • Sun 25 Sep ’22
    12:00 uur
    Small Hall
    Past event

Writer and Bach lover Maarten 't Hart described what went through him when he first played the keyboard part of Bach's gamba sonata in g minor: 'You'r moved, emotionally touched, but you can't give in to that too much or else your fingers start to tremble and you'll hit the wrong keys. So you just keep playing heroially while somothere in your brain a little voice is stammering Bach Bach Bach - something like a person in love might stammer the name of their loved one.' 

Famous cellist Quirine Viersen will play this piece with Vincent van Amsterdam, a very versatile virtuoso on the accordion, an instrument that can make virtually anything sound good. They combine it with Stravisnky's accessible neo-classical Suite italienne, some super-meditative music by Arvo Pärt and a sweet, melodious piece written by Saint-Saëns in 1919 meant as a protest against all rebellious modern music which was gaining popularity in those days.

Part of
Vincent van Amsterdam
Tommasao Tuzj

Quirine Viersen was the first Dutch person to win a prize at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition. In 1994 she was awarded the Dutch Music Prize. She was a soloist with the Wiener Philharmonikr, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. But she loves playing chamber music as well, which she does with her own piano quartet.

After winning several prizes and awards, Vincent van Amsterdam and his accordion travelled the world. Looking at his repertoire shows his versatility: Bach and Scarlatti sit snugly alongside contemporary composers like Gubaidulina and tango music. Several Dutch composers, like Daan Manneke, have written for him. He doesn't just play solo, but loves chamber music as well. He and his sister Jeanine are a regular duo.