Susanne Hou - Fire & Ice
I discovered Susanne Hou completely by accident while I was searching the net for a recording of Sarasate's "Zigunerweisen" a couple of weeks ago. (Actually I was trying to find if Sarah Chang had recorded it, but that's another matter...)
When you read the blurb on Ms. Hou's Web site, it sounds like a Disney movie... she learned to play on a violin her father made for her, then she won a competition in which the prize was the loan of an old and valuable violin for a year, then she couldn't get a recording contract so she recorded a CD without the backing of a record company, which she sells at "gigs"...
Now, it's not unusual for an unknown young rock band to record a CD in this way, but for a classical musician to do it... with an orchestra! I was so impressed I instantly ordered the CD off her Web site. I think I was the first person ever to do it, as I got an e-mail saying that her Paypal account wasn't set up
So I was quite surprised when the CD actually arrived, all the way from Toronto, a couple of weeks later.
Ok, what about the music? Three pieces, all of which I have in other versions so I can make comparisons.
Most of the CD is taken up by Sibelius's Violin Concerto, one of my favourite concertos ever. It's a great choice for a violinist to show off as it's virtually one long solo... and Ms. Hou is absolutely amazing. Only a few seconds in, I already knew it was worth the price of the CD.
Next is Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy, which to be honest I'm not a big fan of. My other version is by Vanessa-Mae (who else? ) and I think I prefer Vanessa-Mae's version anyway... it's slightly longer and seems more embellished, more interesting than Susanne Hou's. Oh, I'm not sure. Susanne Hou has a beautiful tone on the really high sections, very soft and delicate...
Finally, the thing I was looking for, Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, and this is so good it's silly. It's one of those pieces where you can't work out how she can physically play it... I think it needs three hands (actually I know how she plays it because I've seen a video of Sarah Chang playing it). But still, when you listen to it and get that kind of jaw-dropping feeling you get when you hear someone with amazing technical skill. This might now be my favourite violin piece of all time, and Susanne Hou is my new favourite musician
Things to do before I die:
1. See Susanne Hou in concert
http://www.susannehou.com/index.html
Susanne Hou
Hi Henry
I love Zigerunerweisen. I only discovered it a few months ago and it instantly became one of my favourite pieces (now I just have to learn how to say it ). Is it as difficult to play as it looks? (I'm not a violin player myself.)
I used to have friends in Toronto and it looks like a great city that I always wanted to visit. Good luck with the music... maybe one day I'll own one of your CDs!
I love Zigerunerweisen. I only discovered it a few months ago and it instantly became one of my favourite pieces (now I just have to learn how to say it ). Is it as difficult to play as it looks? (I'm not a violin player myself.)
I used to have friends in Toronto and it looks like a great city that I always wanted to visit. Good luck with the music... maybe one day I'll own one of your CDs!