Sào Soulez Larivière, viola | Annika Treutler, piano
Violist Sào Soulez Larivière and pianist Annika Treutler share an inspiring and fresh musical collaboration that is characterised by technical refinement and interpretative depth in a special way. Both are among the most distinguished artistic personalities of their generation and dedicate themselves with great curiosity to the chamber music repertoire.
These possible programme halves span a wide range from Romanticism and Impressionism to jazz-inspired soundscapes and the emotional density of (Soviet) modernism. It combines well-known masterpieces with rarely performed gems - musical discoveries that come to new life in an intimate duo:
I.
Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Sonata for Cello and Piano (1915) Arrangement for Viola and Piano
→ A late work shaped by Impressionist subtlety and melancholic depth – originally written for cello, this version for viola reveals a new, velvety timbre.
Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979)
Sonata for Viola and Piano (1919)
→ A passionate and harmonically rich work, situated between Late Romanticism and Impressionism – powerful, virtuosic, and emotionally intense.
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II.
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147 (1975)
→ Shostakovich’s final composition – a deeply moving musical farewell.
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III.
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)
Lachrymae – Reflections on a Song of Dowland, Op. 48a (1950/1976)
→ In this set of variations, Britten reflects retrospectively on a song by John Dowland.
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Märchenbilder, Op. 113 (1851)
→ Four poetic miniatures with a narrative character.
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IV.
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Sonata for Viola and Piano in C minor, MWV Q 14 (1824)
→ A youthful work with a mature voice – published posthumously in 1966.
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Märchenbilder, Op. 113
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V.
Erwin Schulhoff (1894–1942)
Hot Sonata (1930) – Arrangement for Viola and Piano
→ A jazz-infused work full of rhythmic drive and expressive freedom – originally written for alto saxophone, this viola version highlights its lyrical and improvisatory qualities.
Darius Milhaud (1892–1974)
Quatre Visages (1943)
→ Four character pieces portraying imaginary women from different regions of the Americas – witty, colourful, and full of charm.
Dobrinka Tabakova (1980)
Suite in Jazz Style (2001)
→ A vibrant blend of classical structure and jazz idiom – rhythmically playful and melodically rich, written by the contemporary Bulgarian-British composer.
