Maurice Ravel considered his Sonata for Violin and Cello a turning point in his career, marking a shift towards 'bareness and economy of means' and a 'reversion to the spirit of melody,' moving away from harmonic charm.
Composition History
Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Cello was commissioned by Henri Prunières as a tribute to Claude Debussy, who passed away in 1918, and was published in a special edition of La Revue Musicale.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album features two types of virtuosity: the performers' skill and the composers' innovative compositional prowess, showcasing avant-garde techniques and allusions to popular culture.
Composer Biography
Adrien-François Servais, a cellist described as 'Paganinian,' played on a Stradivari cello still known as the 'Servais' cello.
Composer Biography
Zoltán Kodály, a Hungarian composer, was also an educator, linguist, and ethnomusicologist, known for his extensive travels to collect and record folk music.
Compositional Technique
Johan Halvorsen's Passacaglia variations include innovative effects like sul ponticello (bowing near the bridge) and pizzicato to mimic a guitar, as well as creating a quartet sound with two instruments.
Composition History
Kodály's Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7, completed in 1914, was not premiered until 1924 due to the start of World War I.
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