The Duo concertant is the only work in Stravinsky's entire output originally conceived for violin and piano.
Composer Biography
Stravinsky's collaboration with violinist Samuel Dushkin began in 1930, prompted by his German publisher's desire for a violin concerto.
Compositional Technique
Stravinsky's arrangement of La Marseillaise, the French National Anthem, includes surprising harmonic effects through the use of double, triple, and even quadruple stopping.
Performer Biography
Ilya Gringolts, the Russian violinist on this recording, is known for his virtuosity and sensitive interpretations, and has premiered works by contemporary composers.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Igor Stravinsky, the composer, initially disliked the combination of piano and strings, finding strings "too evocative and representative of the human voice."
Compositional Technique
When making arrangements, Stravinsky would modify the underlying structure of a piece, acting like an architect who goes to the foundations to keep proportions.
Composition History
Stravinsky's opera Mavra, based on a Pushkin story, was a colossal failure at its 1922 premiere, despite the composer's high regard for it.
