In his autobiography, Igor Stravinsky wrote of his not having had an 'great liking' for the combination of strings and piano. That there nevertheless are a number of chamber works by him featuring the violin is to a large extent due to teh violinist Samuel Dushkin. The two were introduced to each other by Stravinsky's German music publisher who wanted to persudade him to compose a violin concerto. They obviously hit it off: their collaboration continued after the concerto had come into being in 1931, and they devised a recital programme to perform together on tours. The centrepiece was Duo concertant which Stravinsky completed in 1932 as his only original composition for violin and piano. Rather than looking for common ground between the two instruments, Stravinsky aimed to emphasize their individuality in a work that he himself claimed was 'determiend by my love of the pastoral poets of antiquity and their scholarly art and technique'. The other pieces on this album are, with one exception, arrangements of Stravinsky's own works including The Firebird, Petrushka and Le rossignol. The majority were made for and in collaboration with Dushkin, but a few come from the 1920's and were intended for teh violinist aPaul Kochanski. One of these is the Suite for Violin and Piano, arranged from the ballet Pulcinella - material that Stravinsky revisited in the 1930's in order to make a new version for dushkin. With this programme, and in the company of the eminent Russian pianist Peter Laul, the highly virtuosic and temperamental violinist Ilya Gringolts makes his return to BIS.

Tracklist:

Pastorale (Arr. For Violin & Piano)
L'oiseau De Feu, Kc 10 (Arr. For Violin & Piano): Prélude Et Ronde Des Princesses
L'oiseau De Feu, Kc 10 (Arr. For Violin & Piano): Berceuse
L'oiseau De Feu, Kc 10 (Arr. For Violin & Piano): Scherzo
Mavra: Chanson Russe (Arr. For Violin & Piano)
Petrushka: Danse Russe (Arr. For Violin & Piano)
Suite D'après Thèmes, Fragments Et Pièces De Giambattista Pergolesi: I. Introductione
Suite D'après Thèmes, Fragments Et Pièces De Giambattista Pergolesi: II. Serenata
Suite D'après Thèmes, Fragments Et Pièces De Giambattista Pergolesi: III. Tarantella
Suite D'après Thèmes, Fragments Et Pièces De Giambattista Pergolesi: IV. Gavotta Con Due Variazioni
Suite D'après Thèmes, Fragments Et Pièces De Giambattista Pergolesi: V. Minuetto E Finale
Duo Concertant: I. Cantilene
Duo Concertant: II. Eglogue I
Duo Concertant: III. Eglogue II
Duo Concertant: IV. Gigue
Duo Concertant: V. Dithyrambe
Le Chant Du Rossignol (Arr. For Violin & Piano): Le Chant Du Rossignol
Le Chant Du Rossignol (Arr. For Violin & Piano): Marché Chinoise
La Marseillaise (Version For Violin)

UPC: 7318599922454
Label: Bis
Release Date: 7.7.17
Format: CD

Ilya Gringolts - Stravinsky: Music for Violin 1 (CD)