HEINRICH ANTON HOFFMANN (1770-1842): Duo for Violin and Cello in E, Op. 10, FRIEDRICH HERMANN (1828-1907): Grand Duo brillant for Violin and Cello in G Minor, Op. 12, NICOLĂ’ PAGANINI (1782-1840): 3 Duetti Concertanti for Violin and Cello.
Catalogue Number: 10N035
Label: Ars Produktion
Reference: ARS 38 096
Format: CD
Price: $20.98
Description: Hoffmann was concertmaster in the orchestra which accompanined Paganini during an extended stey in Frankfurt in 1829 and his remarkable, single-movement duo, in three sections lasting just over 25 minutes, is full of Paganini's influence in its rapid passagework, use of harmonics and left-hand pizzicato (even for the cellist), extreme hand positions and difficult double stops while using full chord passages and polyphonic textures to make it sound as if a full string quartet were in action. Its many mood changes give it a full Early Romantic sense of color. Hermann looked down on many of Paganini's "tricks" so while there is plenty of virtuosity demanded in his 1858 duo, it remains in a Mendelssohnian Classical/Romantic style. A Nordic style in the manner of Gade colors its second movement and its finale's polonaise rhythms give it a folkloric charm. Jansa Duo. SACD hybrid