Matteo Cossu; Bruno Canino - Bela Bartok: Works for Violin and Piano

Bela Bartok's friendship with violinists Joseph Szigeti and Zoltan Szekely allowed him to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the violin that informed his writing. Both Rhapsodies for violin and piano are structured in two parts, a Lassu and a Friss - a Moderato followed by an Allegro. The First Rhapsody draws on Bartok's ethnological studies in its use of Romanian folk dances, while the Second is a more enigmatic work. The Violin Sonata No. 1 is an earlier piece full of atmospheric drama and grandiose gestures, impressionistic in places and concluding with rich Hungarian folk motifs.