This release on the Alpha label continues its Lockenhaus Festival series by delving into chamber music influenced by Eastern European folk traditions. Cellist and Lockenhaus Festival director Nicolas Altstaedt joins violinist Barnabás Kelemen and pianist Alexander Lonquich for this journey through works written after extensive travel and research into the traditional folk songs of the Hungarian and Slavic regions. The Duo for violin and cello, Op. 7, of Kodály, is written in a standard three-movement format that is ...
Read More
This release on the Alpha label continues its Lockenhaus Festival series by delving into chamber music influenced by Eastern European folk traditions. Cellist and Lockenhaus Festival director Nicolas Altstaedt joins violinist Barnabás Kelemen and pianist Alexander Lonquich for this journey through works written after extensive travel and research into the traditional folk songs of the Hungarian and Slavic regions. The Duo for violin and cello, Op. 7, of Kodály, is written in a standard three-movement format that is thoroughly imbued with the folk elements and harmonics the composer found and cataloged from his excursions. Kelemen is well versed in the Duo, having performed it for more than two decades, and one appreciates the depth of knowledge he has of this piece. Kelemen and Altstaedt complement each other extremely well, and together they find the proper balance between the instruments so that the important lines come to the fore. The finale is brisk, and the forward motion is well kept by...
Read Less