Pas de Deux (Horner)

Pas de Deux is a double concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra by American composer James Horner. The work was commissioned by the Norwegian brother/sister musical duo of violinist Mari Samuelson and cellist Hakon Samuelson with contributions from the A. Wilhelmsen Foundation.[1] It was composed from 2011 through 2014 and premiered November 13, 2014, with Mari and Hakon accompanied by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under conductor Vasily Petrenko.[2][3] Pas de Deux marks Horner's first major foray into classical music since the 1980s.[2]

Style and influences

The style of the piece has been compared to the music of Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams, but music critics Tim Ashley and Glyn Môn Hughes have also noted similarities to the works Henryk Górecki and Benjamin Britten.[3][4]

Reception

Pas de Deux has been regarded as the first major double concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra since Johannes Brahms's Double Concerto in A minor,[2] though critical response to the work has been mixed.

Reviewing the premiere, Tim Ashley of The Guardian regarded the piece as "lushly scored" and "attractively played," but nevertheless opined that the work "outstayed its welcome."[4] Glyn Môn Hughes of The Arts Desk further commented:

Pas de Deux required a big orchestra – two pianos, two harps and no fewer than seven horns. But did it work? It certainly had its attractions, mainly as a rhapsody reminiscent of Vaughan Williams, Holst or early Britten. Its opening was hypnotic, mesmerising almost, until a great crash moved the work into new, livelier territory. The soloists were intertwined with the orchestra and there were no showy cadenzas or passages of musical bravado. What the work failed to do was develop. There was precious little modulation and the same formulas were worked to death. Over a nearly half-hour span, that was hard going. But the audience loved it, many giving the piece a standing ovation. It looks like there’s every chance it could be programmed again, which is not something that always happens to every new piece which gets an airing.[3]

Discography

The work is set to be released on disk through Mercury Classics and Universal Music May 25, 2015.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Pettersen, Tomas Lauvland (July 4, 2014). "Pas de deux". Music Norway. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Weinberg, Rob (November 13, 2014). "How I wrote… Pas de Deux – James Horner". Classic FM. Global Group. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hughes, Glyn Môn (November 16, 2014). "Samuelsen Duo, RLPO, Petrenko, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool: Revamped concert hall and new concerto launch a delayed Philharmonic season". The Arts Desk. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ashley, Tim (November 14, 2014). "RLPO/Petrenko review – the Tchaikovsky was a triumph". The Guardian. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  5. ↑ "James Horner – Pas de Deux – Mari and Hakon Samuelsen". Universal Music Group. YouTube. December 16, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ "James Horner’s ‘Pas de Deux’ Album Details". Film Music Reporter. April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.

See also