Virtuoso duo Alena Baeva and pianist Joseph Havlat’s debut in Parbold promises exhilarating music‑making with a rare spark.
Audiences instantly connect to violinist Alena Baeva (‘a magnetic presence’ – New York Classical Review).
She is celebrated internationally as one of the most compelling violinists of her generation. Her playing is admired for its freshness, emotional honesty and striking intensity. With a repertoire as wide-ranging as her musical curiosity, she has performed with many world- renowned orchestras. Joseph Havlat, a gifted pianist and composer, has appeared in major concert halls across the UK, Europe, America, Japan and Australia.
Together, Alena and Joseph bring a deeply engaging programme about the twentieth century’s re-discovery of folk and ethnic music.
Bartok’s Violin Sonata No. 2 incorporates and crystallises his own Eastern European folk tradition; Szymanowski’s Kurpian Songs bring to life folk music from the Kurpie region of northern Poland. The second half includes a Mozart Sonata written at the height of his powers and, to return us to the rustic theme, Germaine Tailleferre’s often performed ballet suite from the 1920s based on old French dance melodies.
There’s personality and imagination in abundance from these two artists who clearly enjoy sharing an exploratory journey through such well-known and much-loved music.” – Gramophone