Carnival

For her début album, Karen Gomyo has joined forces with guitarist Ismo Eskelinen in a programme offering fireworks as well as graceful tenderness. A violin virtuoso as well as an expert guitar player, Niccolò Paganini wrote a number of works for the two instruments together. Neither the violin sonatas by Vivaldi and Locatelli nor Corelli's celebrated 'La Follia' were written specifically with the guitar in mind. They are instead provided with so-called basso continuo accompaniments to be performed on various chord-playing instruments, such as the harpsichord or the organ. The centrepiece of the disc is formed by the famous 24th Caprice, provided by the composer with a guitar accompaniment and renamed Variazioni di bravura. Another favourite closes the disc, as Karen Gomyoand Ismo Eskelinen perform their version for violin and guitar of Il carnevale di Venezia, Paganini's take on a Neapolitan folk song.