Double Concerto
for violin, viola and orchestra
(2024) | 27 minutes
Commissioned by The Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra
SCORING 2222 / 2200 / timp / solo vln / solo vla / hp / str (max: 54332)
PREMIERE 8 September 2024. Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin; Shanshan Yao, viola; The Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yang Yang. Hangzhou Grand Theatre, Hangzhou, China.
Watch
I. Play (0:00)
II. Aria (13:23)
III. Rendezvous (23:09)
About
Play. Aria. Rendezvous. These are the three movements that infuse my double concerto for violin and viola. Although the subtitles suggest the mood of each movement, the piece as a whole is rooted in the tradition of absolute music—a non-programmatic approach where the focus is on the interplay of musical ideas rather than in conveying a specific narrative.
The piece begins with “Play,” where the two solo instruments engage in an energetic dialogue, oscillating between moments of cooperation and playful rivalry. Keen listeners may notice the many variations on the double-perfect-fifth motif that is embedded throughout the movement. A gentle “Aria” follows, though in the middle there is a substantial buildup from a string sextet (two soloists plus the string principles) to the full orchestra. The finale, “Rendezvous,” is a spirited voyage, where everyone meets each other, only to bid farewell in the same breath.
©Zhou Tian
周 天
小提琴與中提琴二重協奏曲
(2024)
I. 奏
II. 詠
III. 聚
時長: 約27分鐘
杭州愛樂樂團(音樂總監:楊洋)委約
由諾亞·本迪克斯-巴格利(小提琴),姚姍姍(中提琴)与楊洋指揮杭州愛樂樂團首演。2024年9月8日,杭州大劇院
《小提琴與中提琴二重協奏曲》通過《奏》《詠》《聚》三個樂章,讓兩位獨奏家進行一場充滿活力的對話,在合作與競爭之間來回切換。雖然每個樂章的副標題暗示了它們的情緒,但整個作品植根於非敘事性音樂的傳統,體現了「絕對音樂」的概念。這裡,沒有特定的故事。聽眾以純粹的音樂角度來體驗樂曲,專注於其內在的戲劇性與結構,自行發揮想像力,最終找到屬於自己的「奏」、「詠」、「聚」。©周天