As well as being internationally recognised as a leading interpreter of music new and old, Peter Sheppard Skærved is the only violinist to have performed on the personal violins of Viotti, Paganini, Joachim, Kreisler and Ole Bull. In this new series, he plays music on these and many more instruments, many of which only he has access to. In this first 2-CD set Peter plays the incredible 1570 Amati in the 12 Violin Fantasies and 12 Flute Fantasies of Telemann. The instrument is of course gut-strung, is tuned A:416 and the bow is by Antonino Airenti. The Flute fantasies are also perfect for performance on the violin.

The series is supported by the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and many other museums and institutions. Volume 2 will present the complete solo sonatas and partitas of J.S. Bach, played on the renowned ‘Joachim’ Stradivari of 1698.

Volume 2 should be released around the end of 2015, and the series will be open-ended with at least ten volumes planned so far. The Athene label, founded originally for historic piano recordings, has been re-launched to celebrate the commencement of this series.