Reviews

  • "From Beethoven and Paganini to samba and folklore [Duo "11 Strings"]
    [...]
    The musicians took their audience on a journey from Italy via Spain to South America and showed a repertoire with many styles, such as Sonatas, folksongs and samba rhythms. Anna Markova delivered a brilliant performance with her powerful but nevertheless lyrical way of playing. Arvid Graeber was an equal partner to her with his confident virtuosity on the guitar. [...]"
    (Weser-Kurier, 2015)

 

  • "A tender expression and artistic performance [Duo "11 Strings"]
    [...]
    The instrumentation violin/guitar immediately reminds on Niccolò Paganini, who played the violin as well as the guitar. Markova and Graeber played two small sonatas, a movement called 'Cantabile' and an 'Andantino' as an encore written by Paganini. In these pieces the intimate sound of the small instrumentation mixed itself up with the big virtuosic gesture, which is typical for the 'devil's violinist'. Every technical challenge was mastered with ease by Anna Markova, she made the melodies singing. Her way to play the violin is full of power and tempting sweetness and it fits well to Arvid Graeber's way to play the guitar, which is confident and equipped with a singing, big sound.

    Nicola Matteis was a violinist and guitarist as well as Paganini. His 'Bizzarrerien' about a Ciaccona gave the two musicians the possibility to show a brilliant performance as well as their sense for the baroque style.
    [...]
    Anna Markova performed a wonderful version of Paul Hindemith's neo-baroque Sonate op.31 no.2 for violin solo, which is called 'Es ist so ein schönes Wetter draußen'. Arvid Graeber also played a solo, his piece was written by Alexandre Tansman - 'Ballade – Hommage à Chopin', a conversion of Chopin's expression into a virtuosic and moderate modern-guitar-style.

    The concert finished with a lively, mediterranean interpretation of Jacques Iberts 'Entr'acte'. In return for a long applause the 'Andantino' (as mentioned above) was played as well as a piece called 'Cueca' from Bolivia, which was fantastically played, it's style between folklore and salon, an encore which makes you wanting more.
    (Weser-Kurier, 2014)

 

  • "[...] Arvid Graeber from Bremen performed in front of an enchanted audience - 'I wondered whether he has got extra fingers', said an impressed listener. [...]
    This concert belongs definitely to the best which were performed in Långseruds church and the audience simply enjoyed the sounds, which were played with biggest finesse and quality."
    (Säffle-Tidningen, Sweden, 2013)

 

  • "Between complaining pathos and fiery flamenco [Duo D'Arvid].
    [...]
    The musical presentation was steeped in emotional cantability and expressivity in the first
    and balanced polyphony in the second choral.
    [...]
    Two seldom played song arrangements were presented in the program: 'Unrühe' and 'Am Grabe der Geliebten' from 'Trauerlieder' by Johann Kaspar Mertz. Again a loving interpretation of the original was given by the musicians, full of cantabile lament.

    By means of the 'Milonga' by Jorge Cardoso and a Brazilian samba written by Giuseppe Farrauto the area of arrangements was left: This was elegant, dreamful, happy, powerful and sonorous interpreted music, in which folklore and artificial demand met each other.
    [...]
    And when pieces like 'Oriental' from 'Danzas Españolas' by Granados or 'Cordoba' and 'Cataluña' from 'Suite Espagnole' by Albéniz are played in such manifold virtuosity, you are nearly willed to attest them an advantage of nativeness. Also in the suite of five songs and dances from Latin America arranged by Len Williams [...] Röhler and Graeber showed their great variability of Expression.

    As an encore after a long applause a folkloristic piece 'El paño moruno' was presented, full of flamenco spirit up to the final fiery chord."
    (Weser-Kurier, 2013)

 

  • "On 16. March the Duo D'Arvid performed a guitarconcert at the curch of Alt-Aumund.
    [...] With many acoustic colours they led the audience through pieces from Johann Kaspar Mertz. Folksongs vom Latin America sounded happy and powerfull. The audience was enchanted and spent thunderous applause."
    (Bremische evangelische Kirche, 2013)

 

  • "[...] Arvid Graeber and David Röhler [Duo D'Arvid] from Germany entertained the audience with their classical guitar playing in a professional manner. [...] The audience was supplied with a well balanced interplay in the slow pieces as well in the lively pieces, which attracted the ears of the audience in the faintest sounds."
    (Arvika-Nyheter, Sweden, 2012)

 

  • "His musical interpretation was marked by high creativ density, which was very helpfull to explore the richness of Bachs ability for variations. In the Fantaisie Hongroise by J.K. Mertz Arvid Graeber was able to show a gypsy sound full of virtuosity."
    (Weser-Kurier, 2011)

 

  • "[...] the 'Cabezas pequenas', which are preferring the 'sound of the soul', composed for the guitar: Arvid Graeber proved to be a sensualist."
    (Weser-Kurier, 2008)