The first Scherzo of the Violin Concerto uses contours from an earlier song-cycle by Robin Holloway, entwining texts by Wallace Stevens and Christina Rossetti.
Performer Biography
Alda Dizdari, a British citizen born in Albania, plays a GB Ceruti Violin from Cremona, 1791, and a Dominique Peccatte Bow on loan from The Stradivari Trust UK.
Performer Biography
Alda Dizdari, the violinist on this recording, recorded her journey promoting Elgar's Violin Concerto in Eastern Europe in a book titled Kiss Me Again; A Memoir of Elgar in Unusual Places.
Composition History
The Violin Concerto, Op. 70, is dedicated to poet John Ashbery in affectionate homage, inspired by his Tiffany stained glass windows rather than his poetry.
Recording & Production
The recording of the concerto was made in Hoddinott Hall on January 17-18, 2025, while the sonata was recorded in Kent on May 1, 2025.
Interpretation
Alda Dizdari found parallels between Robin Holloway's Violin Concerto and Elgar's Violin Concerto, noting a similar ability to create an intimate atmosphere on a grand scale, particularly in the cadenza.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Robin Holloway's Violin Concerto, Op. 70, incorporates nine 'Windows' inspired by Rilke's French cycle Les Fenêtres, which he set for solo violin to sing wordlessly.
