The debut album of the Duo Julian Arp (violoncello) and Caspar Frantz (piano) vacillates between freshness and maturity, between gripping, youthful confidence and an astonishing balance. And that is not only due to their playing, which has already won international prizes, but also their exciting programming. This is just as spontaneous and full of variety as it is balanced and skilfully combined: two pairs of works written at approximately the same time but which could not be more different from each other. Chopin’s only Cello Sonata and Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces from the romantic period, Debussy’s late Sonata and Janacek’s dreamy Fairy Tale forming a window to the 20th century. As some critics would say: a high score for repertoire and interpretation. But that is already what the jury members of the German Music Competition said and they initiated this album. And now all we have to do, fortunately, is just turn it on and enjoy…