BEETHOVEN SONATAS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO NOS. 4 & 9

Classical and Modern Music

Format: Digitalno + CD

Code: 117640

EAN: 3838898117640

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) wrote ten sonatas for violin and piano. The sonatas of Op. 23 and 24 were actually written as a contrasting pair and should have been printed together in Op. 23 but were somehow separated in the process of publishing and have remained detached ever since their first publication in 1801. In the famous Kreutzer Sonata No. 9, Op. 47, the composer supplemented the title with the description “Sonata for a pianoforte ed un violino obligato, scritta in un stile molto concertante, quasi come d’un concerto”, which in translation means “Sonata for piano and obliggato violin, written in a highly concertante style, almost like a concerto”. In this way, he sought to explain the roles of the now emancipated musical instruments in this virtuosic and extensive work.

Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23 is, compared to Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, op. 24, more ascetic with touches of humour, and is characterised by short, effective and explosive phrases, while the last movement concludes the energetic sonata with a surprising pianissimo. In the initial Presto, the fiery piano leads the overall musical flow. There are numerous dynamic contrasts, but the mass of chords is suddenly interrupted by the concluding pianissimo. The Andante scherzoso, più Allegretto is a combination of a scherzo and a slow movement. This subtle and complex movement, featuring an ornamented theme with fugal variations, is playful and calms the passion of the previous movement. The Allegro molto is a rondo that starts in a slow tempo. Despite constantly burgeoning, the music eventually loses its power, becoming increasingly lyrical and soft until it fades to a completely silent conclusion.

Beethoven wrote Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 for a concert that he planned to perform in May 1803 in Vienna with the famous London-based African-Polish violinist George P. Bridgetower (1780–1860). The two musicians had been introduced by Prince Lichnowsky when Bridgetower was on tour in Vienna. The sonata was written in haste. Due to a lack of time, the first movement remained as mere sketches, while the second was performed from the manuscript. Beethoven used the third movement from Violin Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 30 No. 1, which he regarded as a particularly virtuosic piece. Bridgetower played superbly at the premier and improvised the cadenza in the first movement. Legend has it that Beethoven was so enthusiastic that he stepped out from behind the piano and hugged the violinist. He initially intended to dedicate the sonata to Bridgetower with the words “Sonata per uno mulaticco lunaticco” (Sonata for a barmy mulatto), but he changed his mind after a dispute over a woman. Instead, he dedicated it to the prominent French violinist and influential musical figure Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766–1831), who was a professor at the newly established Paris Conservatory and the director of the Paris Opera. However, Kreutzer did not like the sonata and never performed it. The motif of the sonata was used in the tragic love novel by Leo Tolstoy entitled Kreutzer’s Sonata, in which a jealous husband murders his wife. It is in this sonata that the violin becomes a genuine solo instrument for the first time; the composition no longer holds to the tradition of an intimate musical encounter in which the violin accompanies the piano. With its length and intensity, the Kreutzer Sonata achieves the dimensions of a concerto.

Since her debut with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra under Valery Gergiev in 2012, Lana Trotovšek appeared with some of the world’s finest orchestras –the Moscow Soloists, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra the RTS Symphony Orchestra. In 2016/17 Lana performed double violin concertos with Sergey Krylov and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra on a number of occasions. Over the past few years Lana has collaborated with Tan Dun and Orchestra Teatro Verdi, the Shanghai and Slovenian Philharmonic, as well as Uroš Lajovic and the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTV Slovenia under George Pehlivanian, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, where she was described as “an emerging voice to watch” by Philadelphia Inquirer

In summer 2017 she was touring with John Malkovich and I Solisti Aquilani, performing Bach’s A minor violin concerto in festivals Emilia Romagna, Ljubljana, and Mittelfest. In January 2020 her schedule included the BBC 3 live recording of a Violin Concerto “Venus Blazing” composed by Deirdre Gribbin with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. In 2020, for the 250th Anniversary of L. van Beethoven, Trotovšek give performance of the complete sonatas for violin and piano with pianist Maria Canyigueral at the Festival Ljubljana.

Her discography includes chamber music and concerto releases by Toccata Classics, SOMM recordings, Meridian records, Hedone records, Signum records, Champs Hill records, Ustanova Klasika and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. In 2016 she was awarded the Global Music Awards gold medal for her CD Franck, Granados, Škerjanc, Finzi and her latest CD release by Toccata Classics includes first recordings of the Czech – Russian romantic composer Eduard Napravnik.

Between 2006 and 2011, she was a member of the Greenwich Piano Trio with cellist Stjepan Hauser and pianist Yoko Misumi. They won the Solti Foundation Award, The Tunnell Trust Award and other first prizes in chamber music competitions across Europe. They were guided by the Beaux Arts Trio cellist Bernard Greenhouse and pianist Menahem Pressler as well as Stephen Kovachevich.

Violinist Lana Trotovšek has won admiration for her expressive playing and unique musicality. The Washington Post has described her as “Radiant” and praised her “clean, refined tone with musical sense of phrasing and impeccable intonation”. The Strad Magazine has mentioned her “true feel of live intuitive performance”. She has captivated audiences with her ‘warm sound and formidable technique’ (La Vanguardia) and her talent of bringing ‘freshness, depth and insight’ Broad Street Review to her interpretations.

Trotovšek was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to a family of musicians. At the age of 4, she began playing the violin under the guidance of Majda Jamšek. When she was 17 years old, her talent was recognised by Ruggiero Ricci at the Dartington International Summer School in United Kingdom who then invited her to his class at the Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg. During this period, she also continued her studies at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana with Volodja Balžalorsky and Primož Novžak. In 2005, her performance of the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under George Pehlivanian was awarded with the Prešeren Award of the Ljubljana University.

Trotovšek continued her studies at Trinity College of Music with Vasko Vassilev, Boris Brovtsyn, and Rivka Golani, and at the Royal College of Music with Itzhak Rashkovsky, winning many prizes. Between 2011 and 2013, she was the first violinist of the Badke String Quartet, winners of the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.

Lana Trotovšek is the recipient of the 2021 Prešeren Fund Award of the Republic of Slovenia, which she received for her achievements in the past three years. She lives in London and is a Professor at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She maintains close ties to her home country where she performs regularly and is a visiting Professor at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. She plays a 1750 Pietro Antonio dalla Costa violin.

Maria Canyigueral has been described by La Vanguardia as 'a pianist of great personality'.

One of the leading lights among the new generation of Spanish pianists, Maria Canyigueral has inspired collaborations with outstanding contemporary Spanish composers such as Antón García Abril, Benet Casablancas, Joan Magrané, Josep Maria Guix and others. Her partnership with Antón García Abril has been particularly successful, attracting high praise from critics and audiences both in Spain and the UK. Antón García Abril has written 'Reverberaciones' for Maria's 'Avant-guarding Mompou' project and 'Hoy es siempre todavía' for her Horn trio. Having spent her formative years between Spain and the UK, she has since attracted a devoted following of her worldwide concert itineraries.

Having completed her undergraduate studies at the Conservatori del Liceu in Barcelona with Michel Wagemans, she later attained a Master of Arts in Performance from the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying with Sulamita Aronovsky. She has also received musical advice from Nino Kereselidze and André de Groote. Maria Canyigueral’s name soon became a fixture of the international piano circuit, embracing Spain, the UK, Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya), Belgium and other countries. Recent solo highlights include a performance as part of the composition seminar by Benet Casablancas at the Royal Academy of Music, London; appearances at the Festival Portaferrada, Schubertíada Vilabertran and Festival de Música de Cervia, all in Girona; piano recital at Ateneu Barcelones, Barcelona; several recitals in Zulte, Belgium; and a performance at the Echoes Festival, St. James Picadilly, London.

In addition to her live performances, Maria has made an impact with her recordings of chamber music. She won the Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards in California for her album of works by C. Franck, Granados, Škerjanc and Finzi, recorded with violinist Lana Trotovšek (Hedone Records, 2016). A recording with flautist Boris Bizjak, of works by Martinu, Poulenc, Fauré and Böhm, was also released by Hedone Records in 2016.

A prizewinner in several International Competitions, including the Ile de France International Piano Competition (Paris); the Pirani Piano Trio Prize with Ianthe Ensemble (London) and International Chamber Music Competition Antón García Abril (Granada), Maria has lately been working with internationally known composers on her own project ‘Avant-Guarding Mompou’. This was premiered at Conway Hall, London in June 2018 and featured contributions from Nicolas Bacri, Antón García Abril, Joseph Phibbs, Konstantia Gourzi, and Moritz Eggert. The project was a coproduction with Instituto Cervantes, Arts Council England, Institut Ramon Llull, Fundació Mompou and fashion label Lilly e Violetta. Soon to be released on CD on the Audite label.

Having now been a touring artist for many years, Maria Canyigueral had international performances including a solo piano recital at the Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona in 2019. A return appearance in Duo with Lana Trotovšek followed in London’s Wigmore Hall in the Summer of 2019, featuring sonatas by Beethoven, Prokofiev and a work by Slovenian composer Lucian M. Škerjanc. Both artists returned as a Duo to Wigmore Hall in February 2021.

Further highlights include a performance in trio with cellist Sebastien Hurtaud and violinist Lana Trotovšek at the Blackheath International Chamber Music Festival.