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Album guide

The Big B’s

Janoska Ensemble

Released
2022
Label
Deutsche Grammophon
Forces
Violin, Piano, Quartet
Personnel
František Jánoška, Julius Darvas, Ondrej Janoska and Roman Jánoška

The title’s “Big B’s” expands the traditional Bach-Beethoven-Brahms trio to include Bartók, Brubeck and Bernstein.

The album’s most mischievous compression is “9 Symphonies in 9 Minutes”, which turns Beethoven’s entire symphonic career into a rapid sequence of recognisable motifs.

Hear both

The classical side contains only the source pieces used on the album, in album order. The jazz side presents the complete album whenever a dependable copy can be embedded.

The originalsBernstein; Beethoven; Brahms; Bartók; J.S. Bach · classical source works

The classical player presents each source once, in the order of the edition played here. One performance of the Concerto for Two Violins covers the first three tracks and one of the Romanian Folk Dances covers the six drawn from them; the closing paraphrase on all nine Beethoven symphonies is represented by the Ninth.

Jazzed upJanoska Ensemble · 2022
Open full album in Spotify

Spotify’s player is here for convenience; the full track listing below remains available to everyone.

Source works

The album’s complete track listing, with each classical source identified and original compositions marked plainly.

  1. J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043 (Arr. Janoska Ensemble) - I. VivaceJ.S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: I. Vivace
  2. J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043 (Arr. Janoska Ensemble) - II. LargoJ.S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto
  3. J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043 (Arr. Janoska Ensemble) - III. AllegroJ.S. Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: III. Allegro
  4. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique” (Arr. Janoska Ensemble)Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ‘Pathétique’: II. Adagio cantabile
  5. Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor, WoO 1 No. 1 (Arr. Janoska Ensemble)Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G minor, WoO 1
  6. Souvenir pour Elise (Based on Beethoven’s “For Elise”)Beethoven: Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 ‘Für Elise’
  7. ¡Buenos Días, Marco! For my youngest sonNon-classical source
  8. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: I. Jocul cu bâtaBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: I. Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance)
  9. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: II. BrâulBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: II. Brâul (Sash Dance)
  10. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: III. Pe LocBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: III. Pe loc (Stamping Dance)
  11. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: IV. BuciumeanaBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: IV. Buciumeana (Dance from Bucium)
  12. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: V. Poarga românescaBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: V. Poarga românească (Romanian Polka)
  13. Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances in Janoska Style: VI. MărunțelBartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56: VI. Mărunțel (Fast Dance)
  14. Bellissima Naomi! Lullaby for my daughterNon-classical source
  15. Blue Rondo à la TurkNon-classical source
  16. Bagatelle pour Va-Le. For my two daughters Valentina and LeticiaNon-classical source
  17. Bernstein: Candide OvertureBernstein: Candide, Overture
  18. 9 Symphonies in 9 Minutes (Paraphrase on Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9 Symphonies)Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9