Description
James Horner – Pas de Deux (Mari & Håkon Samuelsen) CD
UPC: 028948114870
MPN: 481 1487 DH
Brand Name: Mercury Classics / DECCA Music Group Limited
Overview
Pas de Deux marks the debut album of Norwegian siblings Mari and Håkon Samuelsen, featuring the world-premiere recording of Pas de Deux — a luminous double concerto composed by James Horner (Academy Award-winning composer of Titanic and Avatar).
This piece represents Horner’s first concert work in over 30 years, revealing his lyrical voice in a symphonic context. Written especially for the Samuelsen duo, Pas de Deux blends cinematic passion with classical refinement, described by the Liverpool Echo as a “romantic, luxuriant pastorale… slow-moving and hypnotic.”
Complementing Horner’s work are hauntingly beautiful minimalist pieces by Arvo Pärt, Giovanni Sollima, and Ludovico Einaudi, forming a meditative and deeply emotional program.
Product Features
- Format: Audio CD (DDD Digital Recording)
- Total Playing Time: 56:28 minutes
- Genre: Classical – Contemporary / Minimalist / Film Composer Crossover
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Performers:
Composers: James Horner, Arvo Pärt, Giovanni Sollima, Ludovico Einaudi- Mari Samuelsen – Violin
- Håkon Samuelsen – Cello
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductors: Vasily Petrenko (Tracks 1–3) and Clark Rundell (Tracks 4–6)
- Guest Artist: Alisa Weilerstein, Cello II (Track 5)
- Label: Mercury Classics (a division of DECCA Music Group Limited)
- Year of Release: 2015
- Country of Manufacture: EU (Universal International Music BV, Baarn, Netherlands)
- Packaging: Jewel case with full-color booklet and artist photography by Stephen Butkus
Interesting Facts
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James Horner’s Return to the Concert Hall: After three decades dedicated to film music, Horner’s Pas de Deux reconnects him with his symphonic roots, offering a deeply emotive dialogue between violin, cello, and orchestra.
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A Commission of Friendship: The Samuelsen siblings, long admirers of Horner’s cinematic music, inspired the composer to create a bespoke concerto that mirrors their musical bond as siblings.
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Minimalist Companions: Alongside Pas de Deux, the album includes masterworks of modern minimalism—Fratres by Arvo Pärt, Violoncelles, Vibrez! by Giovanni Sollima, and Divenire by Ludovico Einaudi—each chosen to reflect the album’s serene, transcendent atmosphere.
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Critical Acclaim: Critics praised the album’s fusion of cinematic romanticism with Scandinavian stillness, noting Horner’s ability to “paint emotion in orchestral color.”
Track Listing
- James Horner – Pas de Deux (World Premiere Recording)
- Arvo Pärt – Fratres
- Giovanni Sollima – Violoncelles, Vibrez!
- Ludovico Einaudi – Divenire
Total Duration: 56:28
Publishers
© 2015 Mercury Classics, a division of DECCA Music Group Limited. A Universal Music Company, Universal International Music BV, Baarn, Netherlands. All rights reserved. Made in the EU.
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Hashtags
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