chamber music

CONUNOVA / WULFSON / TEH ENGSTROEM / QUENTIN

Halvorsen, Mozart, Dvořák, Chausson

Violinists Alexandra Conunova and Eduard Wulfson, and violoist Blythe Teh Engstroem perform three jewels of the string duo and trio repertoire, before pianist Julien Quentin partners Wulfsun for Chausson’s much-loved Poème.

Tuesday 30 July 2024 15:00 to 16:00 — Église de Verbier Station

Programme

JOHAN HALVORSEN (1864-1935)
Passacaglia on a theme by HÄNDEL
(Wulfson, Teh Engstroem)

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
Duo for Violin and Viola in G major K. 423
(Wulfson, Teh Engstroem)

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Terzetto in C major Op. 74
(Wulfson, Conunova, Teh Engstroem)

ERNEST CHAUSSON (1855-1899)
Poème Op. 25
(Wulfson, Quentin)

Distribution

Halvorsen’s 1894 violin and viola arrangement of the passacaglia from Handël’s Harpsichord Suite in G minor HWV 432 serves up a panoply of techniques, textures and moods over its 12 variations, then switches Handël’s own closing G minor chord to G major. Legend has it that Mozart wrote his sunnily virtuosic, three-movement G major violin and viola duo for Michael Haydn to pass off as his own when illness prevented him from completing a commissioned set of duos on time for the Archbishop of Salzburg. Dvořák had himself in mind as violist when in 1887 he penned his Terzetto for home music-making with two friends. Ultimately too demanding for the amateur violinist among them, its four movements include a scherzo third of folky furiant cross-rhythms, followed by an emotionally complex theme and variations finale. Chausson wrote his ravishing Poème in 1896 for Eugène Ysaÿe, who had requested a concerto. ‘I hardly know where to begin with a concerto,’ Chausson demurred. ‘But I can cope with a shorter work. It will be in very free form with many passages where the violin plays alone.’