On this recording, the French violinist Louise Chisson presents major violin sonatas of the 20th century. Whereas Poulenc’s and Prokofiev’s sonatas date from the Second World War, Leoš Janáček’s sonata was written in 1914, at the beginning of the First World War.

The works evince Impressionist elements, stylistic ruptures and a preparation of Modernism. Against the backdrop of the dates of composition of these works, it is surprising that there is also scope for lightness and beauty besides death, gloom and despair.

Together with the Georgian pianist Tamara Atschba, Chisson effortlessly manages to walk a tightrope and convey the most expressive emotions from the darkest years of the past century.

Louise Chisson was born in Bordeaux and began violin lessons with Robert Papavrami at the age of three, before moving to Dora Schwarzberg’s class at Vienna Music University at 17. Chisson has been on the stage since her earliest childhood and has played with orchestras such as Solistes Moscou-Montpellier, the Ukrainian National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre d’Auvergne, the Chamber Orchestra in Toulouse, the Salzburg Chamber Philharmonia and the Prague Philharmonic. Since 2008, her cooperation with the Georgian pianist Tamara Atschba, herself for many years the musical partner of the great violinist Dora Schwarzberg and the first violinist of the Alban Berg Quartet, Günter Pichler, has been acclaimed on the international scene.