It was folk musician and storyteller Tom Brousseau who first planted the seeds for Hilary Hahn and Hauschkas debut collaborative album, SILFRA, encouraging his friends Hahn, the prodigiously talented American violinist, and Volker Bertelmann, the German master of prepared piano known to music fans as Hauschka, to explore one anothers work. The gestation period proved long, but over two years later - it takes only a moment chatting to Hahn and Hauschka to recognise the genuine enthusiasm and excitement that lie behind this ambitious, free-spirited and frequently innovative collection.

Hahn is known as one of the worlds best violinists, one of those rare artists, according to Allmusic.com, who possess both a colossal technique and interpretive acumen. Beginning her

training at the age of three, she played with a Symphony Orchestra for the first time at the age of eleven, signed to Sony Classical at sixteen, and was declared Best Young Classical Musician by Time Magazine at the age of 21. Though she made an early name for herself with performances of some of the better known works in the classical canon she still considers Bach to be one of her most significant touchstones shes never been afraid of delving into less conventional areas, whether it be work by Schoenberg, soundtracks like M. Night Shyamalans The Village, or even with Texan artrockers And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.

Hauschka, meanwhile, has made a name for himself with seven albums since 2004 devoted largely to prepared piano performances. Inspired by proponents of the technique from Eric Satie and John Cage to contemporary performers like Max Richter and Yann Tiersen, hes a prolific musician whose work has continually developed from his early solo improvisations to include electronic elements. Like Hahn, Hauschka is no stranger to the idea of collaboration, whether with more formal outfits like Music A.M. (where he pairs up with fellow German, Stefan Schneider, and novelist and former Long Fin Killie frontman, Luke Sutherland) or when recording with members of acclaimed bands like Calexico and mm, both of whom contributed to his last solo release, Salon Des Amateurs.

So when it comes to collaborative work, Hahn and Hauschka share a similar philosophy. For SILFRA, improvisation was the foundation of their work, whether exchanging files over the net or ideas in the rehearsal rooms where they united when they could. They had few specific goals, and certainly no preconceived aesthetic, and purposefully arrived at the recording studio with nothing written down. There they worked with Valgeir Sigursson, the Icelandic producer, composer and musician whose Bedroom Community label has helped bring the likes of Ben Frost and Nico Muhly to the worlds attention. His airy Greenhouse studio, on the outskirts of Reykjavik, proved to be the perfect environment, and for ten days they worked with him as co-producer and engineer, the process inspiring, natural and often so involving that, as Hahn puts it, we were in such a concentrated mindset that we stayed in the album even when we werent playing.

That prepared piano and violin could sound so perfectly suited is surely indicative of the musical chemistry that their groundwork and setting created. SILFRA begins with the knowingly titled

Stillness most tracks on the album were named as some form of synonym for the music before bursting open with the uncontainable energy of Bounce Bounce, in which Hauschkas piano crashes noisily behind Hahns virtuoso performance. (I love what Volker does to those pianos, she grins.) Halo Of Honey is as peaceful as anything Brian Eno ever created had he worked with stringed instruments to create chamber music instead of electronic ones to create ambient music, Ashes conjures up the atmosphere of some of Arvo Prts late 1970s compositions and Draw A Map highlights their more playful side. In addition, Clock Winder is an atmospheric vignette with the charm of a music box, while Krakow offers a deeply moving, romantic simplicity. Its the 12 minute Godot, however, that both musicians recognise as their personal favourite, Hauschka identifying it as having captured some of the Icelandic spirit they felt while recording, and Hahn praising the space they allowed each other therein.

SILFRA, though, works as a full-bodied entity, something even greater than its parts. As Hahn suggests, youre hearing exactly what evolved at the moment it came to life, in every second of this album. It was such a rewarding experience making the record that I get a little nostalgic when I hear it.

Shes not going to be alone. It may be unexpected, but SILFRA might just end up being one of the most original and inventive albums of the year. No wonder they both sound so happy