Philippe Graffin, Jelger Blanken - Pijper & Escher: Violin Sonatas (2011)

Tracklist

01. Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano: I. Commodo (Andante - Allegro)
02. Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano: II. Tempo di menuetto tranquillo
03. Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano: III. Quasi scherzando (Allegro)
04. Sonata for Violin Solo: I. Allegro maestoso
05. Sonata for Violin Solo: II. Moderato
06. Sonata for Violin Solo: III. Adagio
07. Sonata for Violin Solo: IV. Veloce
08. Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano: I. Molto tranquillo
09. Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano: II. Andantino leggiero
10. Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano: III. Molto moderato
11. Sonata for Violin and Piano: I. Allegro
12. Sonata for Violin and Piano: II. Largo
13. Sonata for Violin and Piano: III. Allegro moderato - Allegro molto
14. Pastorale for Oboe and Piano
15. Sonatina for Violin and Piano: Vivace - Lento - Tempo I
16. Improvisation On the Dutch Christmas Carol Midden in de Winternacht



Unfamiliar names to many, Willem Pijper and Rudolf Escher are the two major figures in 20th-century Dutch music.

Pijper was a symphonist, composer of operas, and a noted writer on music, and his enthusiasm for motor cars saw him publishing ‘The Artistic Side of Motoring’.

One of Pijper’s pupils was Escher, who assimilated the influences of Debussy, Schoenberg and Ravel. He composed two symphonies and became a noted expert on modern music, embracing Boulez.

Hardly better known outside of Holland is Ton de Leeuw, who worked under Messiaen and Hartmann. His early music shows influences of Bartók, Hindemith and Pijper. The Violin Sonata dates from 1951. His later works reflect his interest in music from India and the Far East, and electronic sounds.

This is an important release of little-known music by the most influential Dutch composers of the last century.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]