Stravinsky: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano

Featuring

Liana Gourdjia
Katia Skanavi
Zsolt Nagy
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern
Igor Stravinsky

Did you know?

1/7

Composition History

After the Violin Concerto, Stravinsky and Samuel Dushkin, the violinist for whom the concerto was written, collaborated on numerous transcriptions for violin and piano for their concert tours.

Composition History

Stravinsky's Violin Concerto was commissioned by American composer Blair Fairchild and written for violinist Samuel Dushkin, who also provided technical advice during its composition.

Compositional Technique

The Violin Concerto features a striking wide chord (D-E-A) that begins each of its four movements, which Stravinsky himself called his "passport" to the Concerto.

Performer Biography

Katia Skanavi, the pianist on this album, gave her first public concert with orchestra at age 12, performing Kabalevsky's Third Piano Concerto under the composer's direction.

Performer Biography

Liana Gourdjia, the violinist on this album, made her debut as a soloist with an orchestra at age nine and appeared on Moscow television as a rising star at age six.

Composition History

Igor Stravinsky initially hesitated to compose his Violin Concerto, fearing his lack of experience as a violinist would hinder his ability to fully exploit the instrument.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Stravinsky's Violin Concerto is a prime example of his 'Neoclassicism,' which involves creatively appropriating older models rather than simply copying styles, resulting in something entirely new.