EXCURSIONS – a journey of discovery to unknown areas of the literature for viola .... With these recordings for viola solo, I would like to show that, apart from the usual, often played viola literature, there exist unknown treasures waiting to be unearthed. These are works by composers who are either entirely unknown or nearly forgotten today, or whose works for viola stem from their early or late periods.

Seldom performed today are, for example, Ernst Krenek, who in the 1920s numbered among the most widely performed European composers and who celebrated triumphs above all with his operas, and the Swiss composer Ernest Bloch, who was frequently performed during that same period and is known today practically only in the USA. Vincent Persichetti, who like the two aforementioned composers lived in the USA, is at best known by specialists. Gideon Klein was one of the most promising Czech composers until he was murdered by the Nazis at the age of thirty-three. His compatriot Jan Zdenek Bartos is completely forgotten today, whereas Samuel Adler numbers among the frequently performed composers in the USA. Only Kryzstof Penderecki and Benjamin Britten occupy significant positions in today’s musical life. Except for Penderecki’s Cadenza, none of the compositions presented on this CD belong to the standard repertoire for viola – several works are even recorded here for the first time. What all these short pieces have in common is that the characteristic qualities of the viola – the dark richness and the warm, cantabile sound of the instrument – are shown to best advantage. (Jürgen Weber)

 

After repeatedly winning prizes at „Jugend musiziert“ competitions, Jürgen Weber went on to study with Igor Ozim at the Cologne College of Music and with Ulrich Koch at the Freiburg College of Music, where he graduated with honors. Numerous master classes with Max Rostal, Sandor Vegh, Bruno Giuranna, and the Amadeus Quartet, among others, rounded off his training.

In 1977 the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio engaged Jürgen Weber as solo violist.

 

Besides playing in the orchestra, Weber is particularly fond of chamber music, engaging in extensive international concert activities with various ensembles such as the Concertino Munich and the German String Trio. Among his chamber music partners are such renowned artists as Sandor Vegh, Krystian Zimmermann, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerhard Oppitz, and Rudolf Buchbinder.