• June 11, 3 PM: Salon de Paris, works by Ravel, Debussy and Franck
• June 11, 8:15 PM: Schubert & Brahms
• Jne 12, 3 PM: American Adventure, works by Korngold, Barber, Adams, Waxman and Stravinsky

The series consists of two free concerts and two private concerts. More information can be found on the website of the series. 

Luister 10

Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel. Petrushka; Petite Suite; Rapsodie espagnole. Scholtes & Janssens Piano Duo.

Etcetera KTC 1497 * DDD-64'

Performance ***** | Registration *****

Beautiful program, outstanding performance. The cd title is ‘Paris!’; the idea arose during a concert tour of Scholtes and Janssens to Paris: to record a cd with compositions that were written in the golden age of the cultural capital of the world from around the turn of the 1900 century. Stravinsky’s own arrangement of Petrushka for piano four hands comes to life spectacularly in the four hands of Lestari Scholtes (her) and Gwylim Janssens (his). They live up to their reputation, sonorous, technically perfect and intense music making. Debussy brings us to another world. Primary colors and rhythms make way for enchanting tinges and subtle rhythmic patterns, also a world that they have made them their own. Although particularly known in the exuberant colors of the orchestral version, Ravel wrote his Rapsodie espagnole originally for piano four hands in 1907. With evocative playing, Scholtes and Janssens fetch optimal color richness from the piano. The last movement, Feria, with a jazz inspired middle section, is a truly festive conclusion to this Parisian adventure. The Steinway piano shines in its clear splendor sound – that’s the case if Rob Heerschop signs for the recording.

Hans Quant.

Nederlands Dagblad (Dutch Daily) - August 8th, 2014

classic *****

Paris! Igor Stravinsky - Petrushka; Claude Debussy - Petite Suite; Maurice Ravel - Rapsodie espagnole

Piano duo Scholtes & Janssens. Etcetera. KTC 1497

'It could well have been 25 or 30 fingers, so big and well integrated was the sound. Terrific duo in top form.' The superlatives were immense when the duo Lestari Scholtes and Gwylim Janssens performed for the first time in Carnegie Hall in New York in May 2009. This praise is rightly. Rarely there is such a discipline and together lively musicianship as with this duo. It is hardly noticable that two different persons are playing, it sounds fantastic together. That is partly owed to the repertoire that they play. The cheerful sounds of Stravinsky's 'Petrushka' are varied with the soothing murmur of 'Le bateau' (the boat) from the Petite Suite by Debussy. The third Parisian whose music is played by Scholtes and Janssens is Maurice Ravel. His 'Rapsodie espagnole' (Spanish Rhapsody) is better known in the orchestral version, although the piano four hands version is the original. The middle part of the last movement 'Feria' (feast) is interesting and reminds by the jazzy chords to the compositions of George Gershwin, who was greatly admired by Ravel. (RS, translation Scholtes & Janssens)

With this concert Lestari & Gwylim celebrated their tenth anniversary as a duo. The duo played highlights from the repertoire they played in the past ten yeras, among which Stravinksy's Petrushka and the Fantasy by Schubert. Next to many enthusiastic reactions from the audience Lestari & Gwylim also received a very positive review in the daily newspaper Trouw.  

vierden met een feestelijk concert hun tienjarig jubileum als pianoduo. Daarbij speelden zij hoogtepunten uit het repertoire dat zij in de afgelopen tien jaar hebben opgebouwd, waaronder Stravinksy's Petrouchka en de Fantasie van Schubert. Naast veel lovende reacties uit het publiek ontving het duo tevens vier sterren in het dagblad Trouw.

'...a feast for the eyes and ears'

(Review is in Dutch)