ViolinLove20 Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 Hello, I am hoping to hear some opinions about the difficulty level of the 'Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia' (violin and cello duet). Thanks.
Stephen Fine Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 What other repertoire are you working on? There are many difficult technical issues to address: Left Hand Stuff -Double stop passages (not too fast, but hard to get in tune) -Arpeggiated passages (fast, but basic) -Scalar passages (fast, and very fast and difficult) Right Hand Stuff -Sautillé -Saltando/ricochet/jeté -Brush bow -Legato So… if these technical issues aren't a problem for you, Handel-Halvorsen is just a matter of polishing. I've heard it on cello (!) and double-bass (!!), it is certainly easier on viola. You already have a cellist you're playing it with? It's a real crowd pleaser, and it's fun to rehearse.
asovcl Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 I think the OP is referring to the violin/cello duet. Not an easy piece, but a great crowd-pleaser, and certainly fun to play if you can cut it technically. It's sometimes used as an encore in symphony concerts. Search YouTube for Robinson/Laredo performance.
Stephen Fine Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 I think the OP is referring to the violin/cello duet. It's the same piece. Violin/viola was Halvorsen's original instrumentation.
GlennYorkPA Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 It's the same piece. Violin/viola was Halvorsen's original instrumentation. Having just listened to the YouTube version played by two Korean school kids, I think I now prefer the violin/viola version. Julia Fischer's version is an abomination taken at a reckless speed and the Korean 15 year olds further put others to shame by playing the whole work from memory. Thanks for drawing our attention to this instrumentation. Glenn
asovcl Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 Julia Fischer's version is an abomination taken at a reckless speed and the Korean 15 year olds further put others to shame by playing the whole work from memory. Julia's is my very favorite just because she looks so damn good in that red dress. Call me shallow.
crazy jane Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 I recommend both of the Heifetz recordings--the first with Primrose in 1941 (pretty remarkable viola playing there!) and the second twenty-two years later with Piatagorsky. (Both are on YouTube.) I'm sure Heifetz looked smashing in a red dress, too.
DGV Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 There is also a Perlman/Zukerman version that sounds brilliant except for a brief moment of wildy expressive intonation in one of the final arpeggios by Perlman.
Stephen Fine Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 That Heifetz/Primrose recording is pretty darn good. I have a 15 year old student who's learning the viola part now, so I've been playing violin along with her. Pretty soon I'm going to have to start practicing that part, because she's starting to sound pretty good. I'm still butchering the chromatic scales before the finale. And, clearly, Mr. Heifetz thinks I need to practice my spiccato with much more diligence. WHOA- Did anyone else hear the chromatics Primrose wrote into the last variation? Holy moly! I'm going to go edit my part!
crazy jane Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 As I noted in another thread, whenever he played duets with Heifetz, Primrose always stepped it up a notch--either the tempo or the or the notation or even (I think) the intonation. He seems to push toward the upper limit of the note without ever sounding out of tune, much less flat (as violists so often do). I think Heifetz used that little trick himself--play a little sharp and you'll succeed in making everyone else sound flat and dull--and Primrose simply reacted in-kind. If you listen to their Mozart Divertimento (K. 563) with Feuermann (wonderful cellist!), you'll hear Primrose driving both the intonation and the tempo (hitting each note square on from the start) when they hit the Maggiore in the sixth movement--a truly great moment! Violists can learn so much from him!
Dani Tsui Posted February 20, 2015 Report Posted February 20, 2015 And Heifetz's version for two violins? Does anybody know it?
Renée Posted February 21, 2015 Report Posted February 21, 2015 And Heifetz's version for two violins? Does anybody know it? There was a discussion over on violinist.com about the violin/violin arrangement.
pjham Posted February 21, 2015 Report Posted February 21, 2015 See also http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/329951-when-you-cant-find-a-violinist-to-play-a-duet-what-do-you-do/?hl=%20can My children are working on the two violin version http://www.bookdepository.com/Passacaglia-for-Two-Violins/9781581061758 but finding it quite difficult.
ViolinLove20 Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Posted February 21, 2015 Thank everyone for your input. I love how threads will flow and topics will meld as more and more posts pop up.
K123 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Posted February 22, 2015 This one by Janine Jansen and Julian Rachlin is one of my favorites.
Rue Posted February 22, 2015 Report Posted February 22, 2015 Very nice! I also love how Julian Rachlin adjusts his viola at 2:50 without missing a beat...
Stephen Fine Posted February 25, 2015 Report Posted February 25, 2015 As long as we're posting videos: and:
Rue Posted December 13, 2015 Report Posted December 13, 2015 I just got my copy of this ...for two violins...in the mail. Maybe we can work on it later on in lesson...I can maybe manage (some?) of the 2nd violin part. I think the first is still way out of my reach unless we play it all largo...
Carl Stross Posted December 13, 2015 Report Posted December 13, 2015 This one by Janine Jansen and Julian Rachlin is one of my favorites. Why ???
Omobono Posted December 14, 2015 Report Posted December 14, 2015 Anyone tried the sister piece: "Sarabande and Variations" also on a (more familiar) theme of Händel. The sheetmusic is here: http://imslp.org/wiki/Sarabande_con_variazioni,_Th%C3%AAme_de_H%C3%A4ndel_(Halvorsen,_Johan)
Omobono Posted December 18, 2015 Report Posted December 18, 2015 The Martinu Madrigals for violin/viola is another interesting piece.
Rue Posted December 18, 2015 Report Posted December 18, 2015 Nice! Thanks for the links. Worked on the "Passacaglia for 2 violins" fingerings at lesson today! I am approaching this as a technique exercise... with intent to perform...at my spring recital or (more likely) at next Winters recital. I'm excited to give it a go! The 2nd violin part is quite pretty in its own right.
Omobono Posted December 18, 2015 Report Posted December 18, 2015 I'm certain there is a violin/viola version of the Wieniawski Etudes-Caprices duets Op. 18 as well? Just find where I thought I had a copy.....
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