They are leading figures of European culture, composers of monumental works: Beethoven, with his Symphony No. 9 and the Missa Solemnis; Haydn, with the oratorio The Creation and the London Symphony; Mozart, with the opera Don Giovanni and the Requiem; Rossini, with the operas William Tell and The Barber of Seville. But what happens when each of their compositions is reduced to the bare essentials? A violin and a double bass are enough to keep us engrossed for quite some time, contemplating their unmistakable traits, as if we were viewing a small exhibition of sketches revealing essential elements. Beethoven’s duo was originally composed for clarinet and bassoon, probably whilst he was still a young man, in a light, almost dance-like style. It paves the way for Haydn’s crystalline melody, still bearing Baroque echoes. This is followed by Mozart’s apparent ease, in a duo composed during a family visit to Salzburg, at a time when he was already enchanting Vienna. Finally, we hear the duet that Rossini composed in London, at the height of his fame, for a soirée at which the celebrated double bassist Domenico Dragonetti shone.
Cordas a Dois
Solistas da Metropolitana
L. v. Beethoven Duo No. 2, WoO 27 (arr. F. Proto)
J. Haydn Sonata in G major, Op. 8/5 *
W. A. Mozart Duo in G major, KV 423 *
G. Rossini Duet *
* (arr. D. Tzonkova and E. de Conca)
Diana Tzonkova, violin
Ercole de Conca, double bass
