Vesko Eschkenazy and Ludmil Angelov began performing as a duo in 1995. Both were born in Bulgaria, in the families of musicians, and both have graduated from the Bulgarian State Academy of Music in Sofia. Ludmil Angelov has studied with the pianist Konstantin Stankovich, former assistant of the legendary Nadia Boulanger, while Vesko Eschkenazy furthered his studies in the class of Prof. Yfrah Neaman. Both are winners of prestigious international competitions and have performed as soloists of famous European orchestras. They have given concerts in many countries in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Currently Mr. Eschkenazy is concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Holland), and Mr. Angelov is Artistic Director of Toledo International Music Festival. Ludmil Angelov's integral recording of Chopin's rondos and variations for a CD released by Gega New was awarded in 2000 the Grand Prix du Disque Chopin by the International Chopin Institute of Warsaw.
The present programme features Russian music of the 20th century and more specifically composers whose works are an example of performer's art. Sergei Prokofiev's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in D major op. 94 bis is a transcription of a flute sonata dating from a year earlier. The violin version was revised by the composer together with David Oistrakh and was first performed in 1944. Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major op. 134 (1968) by Dmitri Shostakovich is also associated with David Oistrakh. The composer wrote it for the famous Russian violinist's 60th anniversary. Rodion Shchedrin's Humoresque and In Imitation of Albeniz are parts of four pieces for piano, where motifs from his ballet The Little Hump-Backed Horse (Konyok-gorbunok) are used. The transcription for violin and piano is by the famous Russian violinist and music pedagogue Dmitry Tziganov.
Recorded in Auditorio de Las Rozas, Madrid, 23 and 24 April 2001
RUSSIAN MUSIC · VIOLIN AND PIANO
Details
SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in D major op. 94 bis
[1] Moderato 8'07''
[2] Scherzo - Presto 5'26''
[3] Andante 3'51''
[4] Allegro con brio 7'56''
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major op. 134
[5] Andante 10'56''
[6] Allegretto 6'59''
[7] Largo 14'11''
RODION SHCHEDRIN
[8] Humoresque (arr. by D. Tziganov) 2'16''
[9] In Imitation of Albéniz (arr. by D. Tziganov) 3'44''
DDD 63'26"
Participating
Vesko Eschkenazy, violin
Ludmil Angelov, piano