Joshua Bell, MusicalAmerica instrumentalist of the year in 2010 and recipient of dozens of comparable awards, is comfortable performing with a potpourri of talented friends, be they classical, pop, country or world-music artists. Already, 2012 proves to be a year rich in close relationships between violin and piano, and expanding collaborations. Fresh from recording the music for the major Chinese film production “Flowers of War,” starring Christian Bale, Bell welcomed the release of “French Impressions” on Jan. 10. The CD of exquisite sonatas by Saint-Saens, Franck and Ravel, performed with the imaginative and witty pianist Jeremy Denk, is followed by several recital tours with Denk and Sam Haywood.
Bell and Haywood arrive at the Kennedy Center on Monday with an evening of sonatas by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Ravel and Ysaye, three Gershwin preludes, and some surprises.
| Onstage |
| Joshua Bell |
| Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall |
| When: 8 p.m. Monday |
| Info: $45 to $115; 202-785-9727; wpas.org |
“I wanted to use the Jascha Heifetz arrangements of those Gershwin preludes because they’re the best,” he said. “I also wanted to include the Ravel sonata that Jeremy and I recorded after playing it for a long time. Sam and I have an equally close collaboration and have played it often, as well.
“I enjoy revisiting a work with two distinct partners. Both Jeremy and Sam, who is from England, are outstanding pianists. It’s exciting to get different takes on a single piece because it allows me to rethink it and not get in a rut.
“Since our programs are submitted years ahead, I sometimes like to make changes or announce other numbers from the stage. Occasionally, I leave the entire second half of the program empty in order to play what inspires me at the moment. That’s how the pop and jazz world works. It seems a good idea to save room for surprises and encores.”
Bell will spend February and March touring with the London Philharmonic. Long a favorite in England, he was the subject of a BBC “Omnibus” documentary in 1994 and appears often in London’s Wigmore Hall. In 2007, he was the director/soloist at the prestigious Academy of St Martin in the Fields during its U.S. tour. The compatibility they shared led to his appointment in 2011 as music director of the famed ensemble that eschews conductors — an honor that commences with a U.S. tour in April.
“My goal is to establish more presence of this orchestra in its own country,” he said. “They’ve made more recordings than any other orchestra in the world and have two big tours a year, but they’re better known outside Great Britain. When I was a guest with them several years ago, I learned how well the chemistry works.”
