Deux

It begins with gruff, harsh sounds and unfolds as it progresses into a veritable fireworks display of violinistic capers: the opening solo cadenza to Maurice Ravel's Tzigane for violin and luthéal, a prepared piano, is heard in this way. Ravel was inspired to write the composition by gypsy melodies by Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms and dedicated it in 1924 to the Hungarian violinist Jelly Arányi, who premiered it in London on April 26 of the same year. Since then, Tzigane has ranked among the most demanding works in violin literature, presenting performers with immense technical challenges. It is also the central composition of Patricia Kopatchinskaja's new album. She proves to be the ideal interpreter for the piece, which may be due not least to her biography. In her Moldavian homeland, folkloric sounds were omnipresent, and together.