Bartók's Entire Violin Chamber Works/2 Presented by Liszt Academy

Although Béla Bartók never formally studied violin, he knew virtually everything there was to know about the instrument. One source of this experience was related to his activities as a pianist: he regularly played chamber music with the top violinists of the day. Several performance partners provided him with indispensable inspiration for writing new works and their personalities are infused throughout the resulting opuses. Bartók dedicated his two violin-piano sonatas to Jelly Arányi who had settled in London; her temperament and sensual style of playing are reflected in both pieces. Bartók listened to numerous village fiddlers – virtuosi in their own right – while conducting his folk music collecting trips. The influence of stylistic elements of village violin playing are most evident in the series 44 duos for two violins, made for teaching purposes, and the rhapsody written for two violins and piano (later orchestrated). The first rhapsody was dedicated to one of his favourite sonata partners, József Szigeti.