Per Salo, Christina Astrand - Ravel, Bloch, Janácek: Violin Sonatas (2012)

Tracklist

01. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: I. Allegretto
02. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: II. Blues: Moderato
03. Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major, M. 77: III. Perpetuum mobile: Allegretto
04. Violin Sonata No. 2, "Poeme Mystique"
05. Violin Sonata, JW VII/7: I. Con moto
06. Violin Sonata, JW VII/7: II. Ballada: Con moto
07. Violin Sonata, JW VII/7: III. Allegretto
08. Violin Sonata, JW VII/7: IV. Adagio


We have, as a duo and as individual musicians, always tried to do our best to play and promote Danish music whenever possible both in classical and contemporary repertoire, and in chamber music as well as soloists. We believe it is important to present our music internationally and have done so in concerts and numerous recordings, including recordings of all the works for violin and piano by Carl Nielsen and N. W. Gade. Over the years we have played many concerts and tried to make interesting programmes containing all genres of music. Now, though, we feel it is time to record some great works by international composers – works we have had a special relationship with throughout the 15 years we have played together as a duo.

The three sonatas were composed almost at the same time – but in three different places in the world at that crucial time between the two World Wars. Ravel’s Sonata was composed in 1923-1927 in Paris, Bloch’s Poème Mystique in 1924 in the United States, and Janácek’s Sonata was written a little earlier in 1914 in Prague but didn’t receive its first performance until 1922.

Ravel was our big inspiration to start with. It is a sonata we love to play and the three movements perfectly describe air, earth and fire for us.

Through connections in Switzerland our eyes and ears were opened to the music of Ernest Bloch. His musical universe immediately captured us and we have played his music at several concerts; we find that audiences tend to respond with great surprise that they have never heard this music before, but at the same time feel that they know it in their hearts anyway.

The Janácek Sonata was conceived during the horrors of World War 1 and his longing for a better world is easily read between the lines. We felt it was a perfect match to the two sonatas of Ravel and Bloch.

Three years ago The Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra got a marvellous new concert hall in Copenhagen – beautifully designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel. As we both play in the DR Symphony Orchestra we have the joy of playing in this great new hall regularly and the idea to put the music into visual images emerged quite naturally. We are therefore very happy to be able to present along with this CD a beautiful video specially designed for each sonata which we feel complements each recording perfectly.

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