Violin/viola duets

[MsMazas]

Hey everybody! My friend and I are hoping to play a duet for violin/viola for solo & ensemble. We're both fairly talented players (he's increadible, I dunno what I can say about myself), and we've been playing together for years, but we have no idea what to play. We can't do the Passacaglia (because it's already been done) and we both tink that the Mozart Concertante is a little overdone, but what else is there?

More importantly, has anyone played any music for solo vln/viola? Is anyone familiar with the Bruch double?

Thanks,

Mazas

[verde]

J.S.Bach; 4 duos BWV802-805 15

Handel-Halvorsen; Sarabande con Variazioni

Martinu; 3 Madrigals

Mozart; 2 duos K.423-424

mozart; 24 duetti from Zauberfote and Don Giovanni

[Primrose84]

if you've not heard the bruch double, its excellent. i haven't played it, but i love the piece. i was gonna play it last year with my former teacher's top violinist, but it just never materialized. that would be a great choice though.

[deStaunton]

Duets by Louis Spohr(tough), Kalliwoda( virtuosic) and Pleyel( Haydn pupil) are out there, not to mention 6 good ones by Bruni.

[thom]

Stamitz also wrote some violin/viola duos, one of which I have played. The Mozart duos are my favorites. The Stamitz duo I played was less demanding if that makes a difference.

[flaco]

There is another piece besides the passacaglia by Handel/Halvorssen. I heard it once, it was cool and similar to the passacaglia.

I don't know of this Bruch duet. I know there is a double concerto for clarinet and viola. Maybe this has been transcribed?

The Mozart horn duets have been edited for violin/viola and are 12 short charming pieces too. Those are great for a gig where you have to play light stuff but don't want to get bored to death either.

The Mozart G major gets played a lot but the other one, in Bb, doesn't get played so much.

There is a Hoffmeister Duo for viola and flute, for which a violin could play the flute part as well. Not a great piece, but fun.

It's ok if some music gets played a lot, that's a sign that it's great music and people like it, like the G Major Duo and the Concertante. Don't let that be a reason not to play it.

[Primrose84]

that's the one...the clarinet/viola duet, transcribed for violin (not sure if bruch wrote it for either, but sometimes it'll say duet for clarinet (or violin) and viola). i've never heard it with clarinet, but then i've only heard the bashmet recording.

[Omobono]

Don't know about the ensemble part but there are sets of sonatas by both Franz Joseph and Michael Haydn that are certainly no 'overdone' and challenging enough.

My editions are:

J. Haydn: 6 sonatas (Zanibon, Padova)

M. Haydn: 4 sonatas (Breitkopf)

and there is a edited set of 3 duets by beethoven (Hermann/Pagels)

this list may also be of interest

http://www.themusicstorenyc.com/vln&vla.htm

[deStaunton]

Right, the Michael Haydn duets were finished by Mozart after his friends death. The viola parts are pretty minimal, with the violin taking the glory. The Stamitz duets mentioned elsewhere are more evenly balanced between players; there is a Paul Doktor edition.

[MsMazas]

Yeah, I found a nice copy of the Bruch double, and I think we're probably going to stick with that, but we both want something a little more demanding. It's a very pretty piece, but doesn't have a lot of depth to it. Oh well, I enjoy playing it more than the Mozart concertant, and we've done the other little mozart duets.

Does anyone know if Navarra has been transcribed for violin viola?

Thanks

--Mazas

[Omobono]

Just remembered the Ben. Britten work for same combination with orchestra...... early work too, if I remember correctly, charming enough without being too profound as well.

Omo.

[deStaunton]

If you want demanding, get the Spohr or Kalliwoda duets, in that order.Virtuosic!