Poster A Woman playing violin
Violinist Hilary Hahn
Photo: Chris Lee
Performance Today®

Hilary Hahn

Grammy-winning violinist Hilary Hahn loves Eugene Ysaye's collection of solo violin sonatas. They're wonderfully witty and inventive, but they're not well known outside of violin circles. Recently, Hahn recorded the complete set — it's an absolute treat for violin lovers. On today's show, Hahn joins Fred Child in our New York studio to discuss her recording of Ysaye's Solo Violin Sonata No. 2 (Obsession).

Extended interview Hilary Hahn on Ysaye's 'Obsession'

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Somei Satoh: Bifu
Hilary Hahn, violin | Cory Smythe, piano
Album: In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores
DG 19103

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47: Movement 1 Moderato
Nashville Symphony | Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN

Valerie Coleman: Tzigane for woodwind quintet
Elizabeth Mann, flute | Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, oboe | Anton Rist, clarinet | Michael Kroth, bassoon | Michael Thornton, horn
Colorado College Summer Music Festival, Packard Hall, Colorado Springs, CO

Eugene Ysaye: Solo Violin Sonata No. 2 ‘Obsession’
Hilary Hahn, violin
Album: Ysaye: Six Sonatas for Violin Solo
DG

Hour 2

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Impromptu No. 2
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Album: Summertime
London/Decca 4851683

Clarice Assad: Ode to Carmen Miranda
ROCO | Johannes Debus, conductor
ROCO, St. John the Divine Church, Houston, TX

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Four African Dances, Op. 58
Samuel Nebyu, violin | Charles Abramovic, piano
Lucerne Festival, St Luke's Church, Lucerne, Switzerland

John Novacek: Trio Marlenita
John Novacek, piano | Burt Hara, clarinet | Bion Tsang, cello
Festival Mozaic, Harold J. Miossi Cultural & Performing Arts Center, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

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Hosted by Valerie Kahler, Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country.

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