Duo Concertante (2019)

Program Notes:

Duo Concertante, for viola and doublebass, explores the timbral combination of these two unique instruments, from their dark lyrical qualities to their more bravura possibilities. The work contains five brief movements of contrasting character. The first movement functions as a short prelude, with the viola and bass combining to form alternating high and low harmonies and trading off solo lines. The second movement is a playful scherzo, played pizzicato by both instruments, while the third movement is the central, lyrical movement of the work, with undulating natural harmonic tremolos and a rhythmically driving interruptive middle section. The fourth movement consists almost entirely of quickly bowed natural harmonics with fleeting rhythmic tremolos on both instruments. The final movement contains rapidly driving music in constant motion; interrupted twice by cadenza-like free sections which are non-synchronized. The two instruments then come together for the final push to the end.

Duo Concertante was written for my colleagues James and Deborah Dunham on the occasion of their 35th anniversary, with support from the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University.

-- Pierre Jalbert