During his long and prolific career as a composer, Joseph Jongen had the pleasure of working alongside Lionel Tertis and Maurice Vieux, two of the most important viola figures of the 20th century. He gave concerts with the former during his exile in London and composed for the latter after he became Director of the Brussels Conservatory. The composer left behind him an extremely rich and qualitative solo repertoire for viola players.

Nathan Braude, the winner of the 11th Johannes Brahms Competition, laureate of the Juventus Festival in France and first soloist of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra led by Michel Tabachnik, brings some of his most striking pieces to life on this album. Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, one of Belgium’s most talented pianists, contributes to it further with two spectacular piano solos also composed by Jongen.