Les Siècles, the orchestra on this recording, uses French instruments from 1900 with gut strings, aiming to reproduce the original sound of Stravinsky's era.
Composition History
The opening chord of Stravinsky's Violin Concerto, D-E-A, was initially thought unplayable by violinist Samuel Dushkin but later became a 'passport' for the concerto, beginning each of its four movements.
Composer Biography
Stravinsky, despite his complex relationship with the violin, collaborated closely with violinist Samuel Dushkin on his Violin Concerto, valuing Dushkin's musical culture and understanding.
Interpretation
Isabelle Faust, the violinist, was inspired to record Stravinsky's Violin Concerto on period instruments after a positive experience with his 'L'Histoire du soldat' using original French wind instruments.
Interpretation
The orchestra Les Siècles and conductor François-Xavier Roth have been exploring Stravinsky's works since 2009, aiming to rediscover the original rhythms, colors, and dynamics of his era.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Stravinsky deliberately avoided traditional virtuosity and cadenzas in his Violin Concerto, instead focusing on timbre and texture to highlight the violin, a concept closer to chamber music.
Compositional Technique
Stravinsky's Violin Concerto is described as having a very contrapuntal, 'Bach-like' writing throughout, and makes virtuoso use of vivid tone colors.
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