Friedrich Cerha, the composer, wrote most of his violin and piano works from his early creative period, after World War II until the mid-1950s, for himself to perform as a violinist.
Compositional Technique
In his works Deux éclats en réflexion and Formation et solution, Friedrich Cerha explored new technical possibilities in serialism, focusing on groups of events rather than total fragmentation to avoid 'grey tedium'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Friedrich Cerha's early musical language, as seen in his First Violin Sonata, was characterized by thinking in wide-spanned melodic-harmonic arches.
Composition History
The First Violin Sonata was written in 1946, shortly after Friedrich Cerha returned from the war, at a time when he was cut off from the international music world.
Composition History
The Capriccio for Violin and Piano was influenced by Max Reger, a composer whose 'Sheep and Apes' Sonata Friedrich Cerha often played in concerts, and by the post-impressionist and Slavic music introduced by Joseph Marx.
Composer Biography
Friedrich Cerha's Rhapsodie for Violin and Piano incorporates a rhapsodical, gypsy-like gesture inspired by his childhood experience of living with gypsies for a short time.
Performer Biography
Ernst Kovacic, the violinist on this album, plays a Guadagnini violin from 1754.
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