Moritz Moszkowski - Suite for Two Violins and Piano in G minor, Op. 71

 

 

Moritz Moszkowski

모슈코프스키

 

(23 August 1854 – 4 March 1925)

 German-Jewish composer, pianist, and teacher of Polish descent on his paternal side.

 His brother Alexander Moszkowski was a famous writer and satirist in Berlin.

Ignacy Paderewski said: "After Chopin, Moszkowski best understands how to write for the piano,

and his writing embraces the whole gamut of piano technique." Although less known today, Moszkowski was well respected and popular during the late nineteenth century.

 

Suite for Two Violins and Piano in G minor, Op. 71

"The Suite for 2 Violins & Piano was immediately hailed by critics as a spectacular and brilliant work and for many years it remained one of Moszkowski's best known works before sadly disappearing. Recognizing its excellence, Moszkowski's publisher received requests from all quarters to also make a version of the suite for standard piano trio. This was done, which helped it reach a wider audience.

Moritz (Maurice) Moszkowski (1854-1925) was born in Breslau, Prussia (now Wroclaw, Poland). He studied music in Breslau, Dresden and Berlin. He not only enjoyed a career as a brilliant and prominent concert pianist and respected conductor, but was also a fine composer and a first rate teacher. Among his many students were Thomas Beecham, Frank Damrosch, Josef Hofmann and Joaquin Turina.

Although his music is little known today, it was popular during the late nineteenth century. He was quite prolific, composing over two hundred pieces. Of Moszkowski, the famous pianist Paderewski wrote, "After Chopin, he best understands how to write for the piano." Although Moszkowski primarily small scale piano pieces, he also wrote larger scale works including a Piano Concerto, a Violin Concerto, two orchestral suites, a symphony, a ballet and an opera.

His Suite in g minor was one of his last works. The nature of the work can be gleaned right from the opening measures of the first movement, Allegro energico. Gorgeous chordal double stopping in the strings creates a volume of sound hardly imaginable from two instruments. The main theme, romantic and highly attractive, carries all before it. A second theme, just as lovely is more wayward and has a yearning quality to it. The second movement, Allegro moderato, begins in the form of a lyrical waltz, charming and elegant. A slow movement, Lento assai, comes third. After a brief piano introduction, the strings enter with a lovely, but somewhat sad melody. The music is at once reflective and at the same time graceful. The high-spirited finale, Molto vivace, begins with a buoyant and playful subject. The music races along effortlessly until the appearance of the slower and very romantic second subject.

 

Chee-Yun, Soo-Vin and Jeong-Won collaborate together to perform Moszkowski's lesser known Suite for Two Violins and Piano Op. 71. The performance took place at the Seoul Arts Center in Seoul, Korea.

Chee-Yun owns and performs on a Francesco Ruggeri made in 1669. Soo-Vin performs on the "ex-Kempner" Stradivarius of 1709, which is kindly loaned to him.[2019. 11. 28 1차]

1st violin - Chee-Yun Kim
2nd violin - Soo-Vin Kim
Piano - Jeong-Won Kim