Anne Akiko Meyers – Shining Night

Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers has long privileged melody as a binding agent on her albums, applying her peerless technique in service of classical gems that span the ages. The seeds for *Shining Night* were planted when she asked composer Morten Lauridsen if he had written any duo pieces for violin. He responded with new arrangements for two beloved choral works, “Dirait-on” and “Sure on This Shining Night.” Those duets with pianist Fabio Bidini conclude the album, and the latter provided its title. Their fragile beauty gave Meyers a direction for the rest of the album, which otherwise comprises duets with guitarist Jason Vieaux, spanning the Baroque era (Bach, Corelli) through 20th-century pop (Elvis Presley). Most of the pieces feature seamless new arrangements for guitar and violin, connecting Paganini, Duke Ellington, and Astor Piazzolla through keening melodies.