Modern Music for solo violin

Eugène Ysaye – Sonata nº 4, Op. 27 for solo violin. Ysaye was born in Liége the 16 July of 1858, passed away in Brussels the 12 May of 1931.  Was student of Wieniawsky in the Conservatory of Brussels and Vieuxtemps in Paris.  One of the greatest violinists of his time.  Founder of the “Ysaye Concerts”, concerts created to promote the contemporary music.  In 1894 Ysaye form his own string Quartet with the which he gets big success.  The fourth sonata in E minor, was dedicated to the illustrious Fritz Kreitzler.  Ysaye declared to have been seduced by the sensual and warm sound of the Viennese virtuous.  This sonata is divided in three mouvements in the style of Suite. Allemande, Sarabande and Final.  The Allemande is a slow introductory dance, the high registers of the violin are used to his extreme, having the interpreter to play the highest possible notes on the violin.  We can listen different pallets of sound,  slow, soft, dolce and simple music, almost in the Baroque playing style, in contrast some moments of big chords groups with big vibratos.  The Sarabande is written as one obsession,  one “ostinato” of four notes with the same key, is repeated during all the mouvement. This “ostinato” is the base for the development and a succession of arpeggios, scales and chords.  The Finale is a “Caprice Viennois”, full of fantasy in homage to Kreisler.  The fourth sonata is the imposed piece, since the first edition in 1937 of the Ysaye International violin Competition. 
Sérgio Azevedo – Sonatina nº 1 for solo violin. Sérgio Azevedo was born in Coimbra, Portugal in 1968.  Was a disciple of Constança Capdeville, Cristopher Bochmann and Àlvaro Salazar in the Lisbon College of Music.  Dedicated to the violinist Carlos Damas, the Sonatina nº1 is divided in four mouvements.  The first one named Semplice is a kind of introduction, with a simple and undecided character, the solo violin progresses slowly through “flautando” sounds in a sleepy tone.  The Allegro deciso is like the liberation of the accumulated adrenaline during the first mouvement of the work through ferocious “ostinati” and virtuosistic interventions.  The third mouvement, Mesto, represents the emotional axis of the work, is a mouvement full of tension.  The composer uses in abundance double strings and changements of registers, this mouvement and the first share some melodic folkloric characteristics. The fourth mouvement as the first one, share the quality of auxiliary mouvements, they help the central mouvements, they are a kind of “prelude”.  Fast and brilliant, as a perpetum mobile. The mouvement finishes in a dramatic and obsessive form. The Sonatina nº1 is written in a tonal language and uses chagements of harmonies and abrupt modulations, which confer a certain instability and some folclorism to the work.
Sergey Prokofiev – Sonata for solo violin op.  115. Prokofiev was born in Sontzovka (Ukraine) the 23rd of April of 1891.  Children prodigy, his mother initiated him on music.  Entered the Conservatory of Saint Petersburg in 1895 where he receives a complete musical education.  He began to compose at the age of five years old. Left Russia the day after to the October revolution, alleging that Soviet musical life didn’t provide to his recognition as pianist and composer.  Lives in Germany, France and United States before his definitely return to his native country in 1938.  Dies in Nikolina Gora, nearby Moscow, the 5th of March 1953. On May 1947 Prokofiev listen the final exams of the violin classes in the Moscow Conservatory, he had the opportunity to hear excerpts of the third Partita of J.S.  Bach BWV 1006, played in “unison” by twenty finalists.  This widening of the Bach polyphony awoke in Prokofiev the desire of writing a sonata, which could be executed “ad. libitum” for solo violin.  In three mouvements, of Baroque inspiration, the initial Moderato explores different bow techniques, at the frog, staccato, etc., appealing to the use of arpeggios, octaves and chords.  The second mouvement, Andante con variazione, initiates with a simple and lyrical subject, which develops in five complex variations in b flat.  The final mouvement, Con Brio, is written under the form of Rondo.  The intermediate episode, one Allegro Precipitato in d minor, with his rhythmic motor in 2/2, allows some bow acrobatics between the four strings until the return of the initial subject.  The coda is a new Allegro Precipitato, which alternates his subjects with chords of four notes culminating in one ascending scale in triplets up to the d sharp note. 
Fritz Kreisler - Recitativo und Scherzo-Caprice op.6. By 1910, The Austrian Fritz Kreisler had become the leading young virtuoso of his day. Kreisler enjoyed an enormous and deserved, popularity, which was reinforced by his own numerous short tuneful compositions for the instrument of which he was a master. Many of these gems, written in pastiche styles of seventeenth or eighteenth century minor composers were at first published by Kreisler as being by those forgotten composers; but when challenged, he had to admit that they were, in fact, his own original compositions. No minded the slight deception at all; the music is too good for anyone to take offence, and no harm was intended. But some of these pieces were not in the style of any earlier composer, including this little march, one of the very best of the lively Kreisler encores. Another of Kreisler's original pieces for violin and piano, one of a pair (the other being Liebesfreud), is Leibesleid, which sums up the soul of old Vienna, not as a large-waltz in the manner of the Strauss dynasty, but as an intimate, gentle reminiscence. It is marked to be played in the style of the Austrian (or German) Ländler, an old dance in slowish 3/4 time, which many believe was the forerunner of the waltz, with which it shares certain similarities. In any event, Kreisler's delightfully languorous piece, with its evocative and dreamy ending, is a magnificent composition of its type, a perfect gem of the composer's craft. Schön Rosmarin is yet another of the wonderful short pieces for violin and piano by Kreisler: a delightful pen-portrait of Rosmarin, who is clearly a beautiful and somewhat vivacious young girl. This is a wholly endearing miniature, a sensuous and charming work of sentiment and splendid craftsmanship. The Recitativo and Scherzo is a work for solo violin full of Charm. The intense Recitativo on which Kreisler use several difficult technic artefacts, is like a Prelude to the virtuositic Caprice writen in a Viennise style.
Fernando Lopes-Graça – “Esponsais”. Fernando Lopes-Graça was an outstanding cultural personality of Portuguese XXth century music.  Composer, pedagogue and pianist.  He was born in Tomar and studied in Lisbon with Vianna of the Motta, Tomás Borba and Luis of Freitas Branco.  Lived in Paris between 1937 and 1939, and was an active participant in the opposition to the dictatorial Portuguese regime.  Esponsais is a work for solo violin written the 4th of April 1984 under the following dedication, “for Miguel in his marriage”.  In this piece Lopes-Graça utilizes an harmonic neo-modal language, explores also the relations between intervals and sonorous effects obtained through rythmical figures.  The work is composed in one only mouvement under the form A-B-A.  A slow introduction interpolates with a quick episode, the piece finishes with the return of a slow notes succession suddenly stopped by a section of the subject B. 
 

Carlos Damas was born in Coimbra - Portugal, made is first contacts with music at the age of five in the Music Conservatory of his hometown. Later on, inLisbon, continue  his violin studies with professors Vasco Brôco, Alexandra Mendes and Leonor Prado.  Made his premiere as soloist with a symphony orchestra at the age of fifteen, with the Orquestra da Radiodifusão Portuguesas under direction of Silva Pereira. Carlos Damas was awarded in several national competitions.  He established in Paris at the age of eighteen, where he gets four years later  his superior with the highest distinction.  In Paris studied with Masters Jacqueline Lefévre and Ivry Gitlis.  Was awarded with the certificate of “Excellence in Performance and Leadership” issued by the American Teachers Association. Had the opportunity to meet several times with Sir Yehudi Menhuin, which encouraged, advised and accompanied him.  Was concertmaster of the Orchestra of her CIUP in Paris.  Gave the premiere in Paris of the Portuguese composer, Luis de Freitas Branco violin Concerto. In 1996 he was admitted, as assistant concertmaster in the Macao Chamber Orchestra, was also teacher in the Conservatory of Macao. Since 2001 Carlos Damas collaborate with Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa and is teacher in the National Academy Superior of Orchestra.  Carlos Damas has maintained a regular activity (around fifty annual concerts) as soloist and chamber musician. Made series of concerts with the complete Sonatas for violin and piano by Beethoven, Mendelsshon and Brahms. Participated on important international music festivals as the International Music Festival of Macao, Semmering Festival (Austria), was the only western soloist to be invited to the 7th Arts Festival of China, etc.  Performed as soloist in the United States, Canada, and main European and Asian cities. Worked with important international conductors and chamber musicians.