French Connection Niek de Groot & Catherine Klipfel

• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Sonate Posthume (1897):
• 1 Ravel: Sonate Posthume (1897): Sonate Posthume (1897) 12:39
• Alfred Desenclos (1912 - 1971): Aria et Rondo (1952):
• 2 Desenclos: Aria et Rondo (1952): I. Aria 04:13
• 3 Desenclos: Aria et Rondo (1952): II. Rondo 06:49
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): Élégy, Op. 24 (1880):
• 4 Fauré: Élégy, Op. 24 (1880): Élégy, Op. 24 (1880) 06:55
• Maurice Ravel: Vocalise-Étude en forme de Habanera (1907):
• 5 Ravel: Vocalise-Étude en forme de Habanera (1907): Vocalise-Étude en forme de Habanera (1907) 03:12
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918): Beau Soir (1890):
• 6 Debussy: Beau Soir (1890): Beau Soir (1890) 02:42
• César Franck (1822 - 1890): Sonate in A Major, FWV 8 (1886):
• 7 Franck: Sonate in A Major, FWV 8 (1886): I. Allegrett o ben Moderato 06:31
• 8 Franck: Sonate in A Major, FWV 8 (1886): II. Allegro 08:35
• 9 Franck: Sonate in A Major, FWV 8 (1886): III. Recitativo-Fantasia 07:27
• 10 Franck: Sonate in A Major, FWV 8 (1886): IV. Allegretto poco Mosso 06:23
• Pablo Casals (1876 - 1973): El Cant dels Ocells (1939):
• 11 Casals: El Cant dels Ocells (1939): El Cant dels Ocells (1939) 03:18
• Total Runtime 01:08:44

Info for French Connection

During the two decades Catherine Klipfel and Niek de Groot have been playing together, they have often focused on the French repertoire; a shared love. Catherine is French, and Niek has many musical roots in France. Within this repertoire the color spectrum of the double bass together with the richness of the piano create new timbres and open new horizons. The idea of making an album with a complete French repertoire therefore seemed like a logical idiomatic step.

Niek de Groot, double bass
Catherine Klipfel, piano

Niek de Groot
Dutch double bassist Niek de Groot is one of today's leading soloists on his instrument. Originally a trumpet-player he started playing the double-bass at 18. Within an unusually short time he became principal bass with several European ensembles, including a 10-year tenure as principal Solo-Bass with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

After his formal studies he further developed his skills at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada. Niek's playing has benefited a great deal also from attending masterclasses with eminent cellists Frans Helmerson, Lluìs Claret, Laurence Lesser and in collaborations with Leonard Bernstein, György Sebök and Mstislav Rostropovich.

Over the last years Niek de Groot has dedicated himself entirely to chambermusic and solo performances. He performs regularly at the best known concerthalls and music festivals. Besides standard repertoire he includes a great deal of contemporary music. He has worked closely with composers such as Kurtág, Stockhausen, Saariaho, Vasks and Gubaidulina. He recorded solo-CD’s for EMI, NIMBUS and BIS a.o.

Upcoming projects include the release of a new version of György Kurtág’s ‘Sudelbücher’ for BMC recorded with the composer, a CD with French music with pianist Catherine Klipfel for ORLANDO Records, the recording of Sofia Gubaidulina’s ‘Galgenlieder à 3’ for KAIROS and Culiner Creative Circle and the world-premiere and registration of the new Double Bass Concerto by Sebastian Fagerlund for BIS.

Since 1996 Niek is Senior Professor for Double Bass at the Folkwang University of Arts, Essen, being the only French-Bow playing bassist ever to hold such a position in Germany. He also taught at institutions in Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and regularly gives master classes worldwide. Many of his former and current students play in Europe's foremost orchestras and ensembles.

Throughout his career, Niek de Groot had the privilege to play on rare double basses by Cerutti, Bajoni, Candi, Amati and lately the double bass made in 1737 by Domenico Montagnana. Recently he also started playing an instrument custom made for him by Anneke Degen, Hamburg, 2019. His bows are developed for him by Jochen Schmidt. His baroque and classical bows are by Gerhard Landwehr.

Catherine Klipfel
was born in Strasbourg and studied in Metz, Essen, Detmold and Cologne.

Since 1999 she has been active as a soloist in numerous prestigious orchestras. Her recitals were broadcasted in various radio stations and she earned national as well as international awards. In 2005 she founded the Morgenstern Trio which was highly distinguished at for example the ARD competition. Together with Stefan Hempel (violin) and Emanuel Wehse (Cello) she performed on the world’s most considerable stages, New York Carnegie Hall and the Berlin Philharmonie among them. Catherine Klipfel has been engaged for concert tours in Europe, the US and Asia and she has done numerous CD recordings together with her trio.

Catherine Klipfel regularly plays solo recitals and is frequently requested as a chamber music partner. She has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic String Quartet, with Niek De Groot, Heiner Schindler and Nils Mönkemeyer.

Since 2011 Catherine Klipfel obtains the Teacher’s degree of Piano for the Folkwang University of the Arts.

Booklet for French Connection