Traveling as a duet
Aleksey Igudesman has translated world music and "classical classics" into his very own sound language, on the one hand for violin and viola, on the other for violin and cello
The violinist, composer, conductor and versatile performer Aleksey Igudesman surprises again and again with his original duo arrangements that go beyond or expand the scope of "classical" violin lessons. There is a magic about these cross-over pieces that take you on long journeys, not only to distant lands, but also to the limits of conventional violin playing.
With Violin & Viola & more and the counterpart Violin & Cello & more Igudesman has now extended the instrumentation of the duets to include the very attractive combination of violin and a lower string instrument. In his witty foreword, he encourages violinists to also play the viola. His favorite viola joke: "What can violinists do better than violists?" Answer: "Play the viola." The version with violoncello is said to be the result of numerous requests from female cellists to finally have Igudesman duets for their instrument with violin. A task that the author only wanted to undertake himself. The pieces are the same in both booklets.
The range of duets extends from Irish folk to Hava Nagila and La Cucaracha to Eastern European and Caucasian songs, all of which Igudesman translates into his own musical language and comments on in an instructive and humorous way in the table of contents. But classical adaptations are not missing either, such as the Andante Mozartosothe second movement (abridged and transposed to C major) of the Piano Concerto in C major K. 467, and Richard Won't Like It!a klezmer version of the Ride of the Valkyries and the Bridal Chorus Faithfully managed from Lohengrin. Wagner, the avowed anti-Semite, may turn in his grave!
The violinistic level of difficulty of the duets is intermediate, but good note-reading is an advantage. What counts most, however, is curiosity about the strange and unfamiliar. Anyone who undertakes these "journeys" will be rewarded with a lot of joy in the instrument and in (world) music!
Aleksey Igudesman: Violin & Viola & more,10 duets for violin and viola, UE 37118, € 16.95, Universal Edition,Vienna 2017
Id., Violin & Cello & more, 10 duets for violin and cello, UE 37119
