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Janoska Ensemble \\u2014 The Big B\\u2019s (DG)

Two violins, double bass and piano is an unusual combination for a classical quartet, but it\\u2019s the perfect combination for the Janoska Ensemble. \\xa0

\\u201cIt\'s a new window that we want to open for classical music,\\u201d double bassist Julius Darvas said about the ensemble\\u2019s sound. \\u201cWe want to bring a new wave of air in classical music that includes great improvisation, with fantastic arrangements and virtuosity\\u201d

The other ensemble members are violinists Ondrej and Roman Janoska and pianist Frantisek Janoska. Darvas married their sister.

\\u201cWhen I met my wife, she told me that she has relatives in Bratislava,\\u201d Darvas said. \\u201cWe went there, and the whole house was full of music. Somebody had left a double bass at her family\\u2019s home. I took the double bass, and we were jamming together. Their father liked it very much and said, \\u2018You have to marry her because we need a good bass player in the family.\\u2019\\u201d

Can you talk about how the ensemble respects Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?

\\u201cWe realized they are the big B\\u2019s in classical historical music. We were searching for other composers with the letter B. We also found Bart\\xf3k, Bernstein and Brubeck. We took our favorite compositions from them and made it Janoksa style.\\u201d\\xa0

How is Bach\\u2019s Concerto for Two Violins tailor-made for the ensemble?

\\u201cWe have the classical violin on one side, but the improvisatory jazz violin on the other. I\'m playing the basso continuo, but sometimes some grooves. Frantisek accompanies the whole thing in a classical style combined with jazz and pop. Some new chords were added, which gave us a fantastic bassline to make new improvisations. Roman is playing the violin like a guitar. We also have flamenco technique in the piano.\\u201d

Do you write pieces in honor of your family members?

\\u201cYes. It has become a tradition to write pieces for our family, usually for our children. It\'s a tribute to them. There are seven generations of musicians in the family. Ondrej Janoska\\u2019s first composition is dedicated to his two wonderful daughters, Valentina and Letizia. The piece is Bagatelle Pour Va-Le.\\u201d

How did you condense Beethoven\\u2019s nine symphonies into just nine minutes?

\\u201cWe knew that we couldn\'t record all nine symphonies in this ensemble. The goal was to make it in nine minutes. We took one theme or melody from every symphony and arranged it for ourselves. The audience loves it. Some of them look at their watches during the concerts.\\u201d

To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or\\xa0download the extended podcast on iTunes\\xa0or wherever you get your podcasts.

Resources

Janoska Ensemble \\u2014 The Big B\\u2019s (Amazon)

Janoska Ensemble (official site)