An astounding work of extreme colours and characters with a "hypervirtuoso" virtuoso solo violin part.
Andrew Beer Photo: supplied
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György Ligeti wrote his Violin Concerto in 1990 and revised it over the next two years. It is dedicated to violinist Saschko Gawriloff who gave the first performance in Cologne in November 1990.
There are five movements:
- Praeludium
- Aria, Hoquetus, Choral
- Intermezzo
- Passacaglia
- Appassionato: Agitato molto
In this music, Ligeti uses microtonality, rapidly changing textures, comic juxtapositions, Hungarian folk melodies, Bulgarian dance rhythms, references to medieval and renaissance music and solo violin writing that ranges from slow-paced and sweet-toned to angular and fiery.
There are two unusual aspects to the orchestration. The 2nd and 4th movements include parts for two recorders and a quartet of ocarinas to be played by members of the woodwind section. Also the principal orchestral violinist and the principal violist are instructed to tune their instruments in a scordatura based on the tuning of the natural harmonics of the double bass.
Recorded in Auckland Town Hall, 27 June 2019
Producer: Tim Dodd
Sound engineers: Rangi Powick, Adrian Hollay
