Violin Duets
August Fryderik Duranowski (1770-1834)
Duo concertant in D, op. 3,2
Antonio Lolli (1725-1802)
Sonata in A, op. 9,3
August Fryderyk Duranowski
Duo concertant in B flat, op. 3,1
Bartłomiej Fraś, Martyna Pastuszka (violin)
rec. 2024, Józef Świder Concert Hall, State Music School, Jastrzębie Zdrój, Poland
Reviewed as a download
Prospero PROSP0116 [52]
Duets for two equal instruments are probably not that often performed in public concerts, or only as part of a concert. Such works constitute a substantial part of what was written in the Baroque and Classical eras. The first duets may well have been written and published in the early 18th century, reflecting the educational ideals of the Enlightenment. Duets were meant mainly as pedagogical material, to be played by a teacher and his pupil. At the same time, it was ideal for performances among friends in domestic surroundings. That also goes for the pieces performed on the disc under review.
The two composers seem to have little in common, except that they were reckoned among the greatest violinists of their time.
August Fryderyk Duranowski is probably the lesser known of the two. He was the son of a violinist from France, with the name of Durand, who had settled in Poland, attracted by the artistic climate created by Michał Kazimierz Ogiński (1728–1800) at his estate in Słonim (now Belarus). He founded an opera house, an orchestra and an art school. Durand entered the orchestra, and his son was given the opportunity to study with Giovanni Battista Viotti in Paris, which made him a product of the French violin school. Duranowski developed into one of the great virtuosos of his time, celebrated for his innovative techniques, such as a left-hand pizzicato. He made a strong impression on Niccolò Paganini, who mentioned the Polish violinist as the source of inspiration for his 24 Caprices.
The largest part of Duranowski’s output has been lost. As was so often the case, he was soon forgotten after his death. He died in poverty, partly due to his turbulent lifestyle in Strasbourg, where he had settled when he was given the post of leader of the theatre orchestra. In the course of his career he performed as a virtuoso in many cities across Europe but it was interrupted around 1796, when he entered Napoleon’s army.
The three duets Op. 3 were published in 1800, and include elements of military music. Duranowski omits the techniques for which he was known, which is understandable; if he had included them, the collection would not have been commercially interesting, as very few would have been able to play them. The first violin is given the main role; it has most of the thematic material, whereas the second violin often plays a kind of accompaniment. Both consist of three movements in the order fast – slow – fast. The first movements are the longest. The Duo in B flat closes with a rondo, a typical phenomenon in the classical era.
The second composer, Antonio Lolli, was born in Bergamo. In 1758 he entered the court orchestra in Stuttgart, apparently at the behest of Nicolò Jommelli, who had been appointed Ober-Kapellmeister in 1754, and Padre Martini. Lolli was given ample opportunities to perform as a soloist across Europe, for instance at the Concert Spirituel in Paris. In 1774 he moved to St Petersburg, where he became Virtuoso da Camera at Catherine the Great’s court. He continued his concert tours, and in 1783 he decided not to return to St Petersburg. Like Duranowski, his last years were marred by financial troubles, and he died in poverty in Palermo in 1802.
Lolli earned a reputation as a violinist, but his compositional skills were the subject of criticism. “Lolli was a virtuoso of unparalleled skill, raising violin technique to revolutionary heights long before Niccolò Paganini. His avant-garde technical innovations were so radical for the time that they were often dismissed as ‘madness’ by his contemporaries” (booklet). Bartłomiej Fraś states that the criticism of his compositions may have been inspired by Lolli’s tendency to give a virtuosic display priority over elegant phrasing. “Furthermore, Lolli was criticized for his limited training in counterpoint and orchestration. Frequently, he left orchestral parts incomplete, relying on other composers or musicians to finish them.”
Lolli’s oeuvre consists entirely of pieces for his own instrument. Among them, are concertos and sonatas with basso continuo. The Op. 9 comprises six duets for two violins, which were published in Paris around 1785. They were dedicated to Michał Kazimierz Ogiński, which makes the latter the link between the two composers. The booklet notes don’t explain how Lolli knew him, or if they ever met; however, it seems that Lolli must have known that Ogiński was a skilled harpist, as the sonatas include virtuosic arpeggios, evoking harp techniques. These duets are virtuosic, as the exploration of high registers and the use of double stopping demonstrate. There is a difference between the first and second parts. According to Fraś, “the second violin part in the Op. 9 sonatas is remarkably simple and schematic, resembling an unfinished basso continuo line.”
Pieces by violin virtuosos are not necessarily musically interesting, as they may be too demonstrative in the display of violin techniques, but that is not the case here. Those who play the violin or know much about the technical aspects of violin playing may recognize some of these techniques, but most listeners can just enjoy what these three pieces have to offer. They are musically rewarding, and their qualities are exposed here to the full, thanks to Bartłomiej Fraś and Martyna Pastuszka. Their technical skills are impressive, but are never used to show off. They are a true ensemble, and their violins blend perfectly, which is also due to the fact that they play period instruments.
One does not need to be a violin aficionado to enjoy these performances.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
https://bsky.app/profile/musicadeidonum.bsky.social
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