Dance!

On this album the program is well balanced, diverse, and festive. The accordion has its place.

Note the Romanian Dances by Bartok that specifically work with this instrument. Overall, we listened to this disc with pleasure; the duo is attractive as is the repertoire. Huijnen plays with a bright sound, remarkable accuracy and displays much virtuosity and is well served and accompanied by Marieke Grotenhuis.

However, one might expect more boldness in the transcripts and in arrangements where the accordion is a little too much the accompanist. We appreciate the energy in Brahms' Hungarian Dances, but it misses the last shot in the tempo to really light the fire!

It's a small piece yes, but of the brilliant sort. Huijnen is shining as a soloist here. Of course, driven happily by her partner. This album makes you smile.

'They are a great team and next to vivacious, all is well taken care of in every detail.

It works well. You hear violinist Cécile Huijnen addressing her primal power. In a seductive way she spins around accordionist Marieke Grotenhuis. She whips her up and turns her back to her, being naughty, as the most beautiful girl in town, who knows what she is worth.

Huijnen and Grotenhuis are a perfect match when it comes to technique, appearance and especially musicality. And let's be honest: a violin simply combines better with the accordion.

Effortlessly, the ladies immerse us in the melancholy of the Romanian Folk Dance opus 7 by Bartók and the Slavonic Dance opus 46, no. 1 by Dvorák. And the title Dance! is of course not for nothing. Sometimes there is hopping (as in Dvorák's Humoresque), sultry rubbed against each other (Café 1930 by Piazzolla) or enthusiastically swinging (Nightclub 1960 by Piazzolla).

It is great that Cécile Huijnen and Marieke Grotenhuis also regularly insert moments of peace and reflection (for example Abodah by Bloch, once composed for Yehudi Menuhin, and the Adagio by Kodály). The final takes a different approach: Souvenir by Kupkovic starts rashly and almost immediately offers fireworks à la Paganini. Huijnen sprinkles lavishly with glissandi here. 
Breathtaking!