A promising debut album from two star siblings
The Strad Issue: October 2025
Description: A promising debut album from two star siblings
Musicians: Luka Ispir (violin) Léo Ispir (cello)
Works: Bach: Prelude no.15 BWV860; Two-Part Inventions: no.6, no.8. Handel: Passacaglia. Mozart: Duo no.1 for violin and viola. Ravel: Sonata for violin and cello. Say: Street of Memories
Catalogue number: ERATO 2173276986
Laureates of Gautier Capuçon’s prestigious Foundation, the French Ispir brothers, violinist Luka and cellist Léo, here offer a smorgasbord of arrangements and original duos on their debut recording. These include three Bach arrangements – of a prelude from the Well-Tempered Clavier and two Two-Part Inventions, which demonstrate their propensity for delicate sensitivity.
Street of Memories, written specially for this album by Fazil Say in recognition of the brothers’ Turkish roots, is jaunty, faintly jazzy, with frequent pizzicato support from the cello, played with a touch of swing.
The main work here is Ravel’s Sonata for violin and cello. The Ispir brothers open the first-movement Allegro with easy style, which gives way to rich, fruity forte, warm and gripping.
The second movement – Très vif – is snappy, with rhythmically vital banter between the two of them at the opening and robust playing to follow. The third-movement Lent is a steady, hymn-like meditation with contrasting vibrancy in the fast central section, and the final movement, Vif, has crisp staccato playing with a slightly rough edge and infectious vitality.
Mozart’s Duo for violin and viola has subtly moulded phrasing, and Handel’s Passacaglia, arranged for violin and viola by Halvorsen and here re-arranged for violin and cello, has breadth and suitably varied character. The recording is close and well balanced.
TIM HOMFRAY
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