Violinist Liya Petrova won First Prize at the Carl Nielsen Competition in Denmark in 2016, which launched her international career.
Instruments
Liya Petrova plays the "Helios" violin, a magnificent instrument made in Cremona in 1735 by Carlo Bergonzi, a pupil of Stradivari.
Composition History
Both William Walton's Violin Concerto and Ottorino Respighi's Violin Sonata, featured on this album, were written in Italy.
Composer Biography
Ottorino Respighi, an Italian composer, was an eminent professor at the Conservatory of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia and even directed it for a time.
Composer Biography
William Walton, who represented the British avant-garde in his youth, once advised sensitive composers to "die at the age of 37" as the world changed faster than his music.
Recording & Production
The Walton concerto was recorded almost like a live performance, without extensive rehearsal, to foster spontaneity and creativity.
Album & Artwork
This album is the first part of a two-volume project titled "Momentum," which explores four violin works by Walton, Respighi, Korngold, and Richard Strauss.
