Repertoire for Violin and Bassoon
The first question we usually get asked when we tell people that we have a violin and bassoon duo is, “Is there any music written for that?”
The answer is, more than you might think! And we’re doing our best to add to that year by year. This page is a work in progress, so if you know of anything that we haven’t listed here, feel free to email us at dyad.aln@gmail.com
Original Instrumentation
Rachel Epperly, Webbed. A commission for Dyad, premiered in 2017. (About 8′). We recorded it in summer 2017. Contact us or the composer for music.
Reena Esmail, Nadiya. Technically this was originally for flute and cello, part of the Pieces of Eight commissioning project by Ben Larsen and Martha Cargo. But we worked with Reena on adapting it for violin and bassoon.
Marjan Mozetich, Duet in Blue (for flute or violin and bassoon or cello). A short piece for younger musicians.
Niccolo Paganini, Tre Duetti Concertanti. Published by Zerboni in Italy.
Stephen Spies, Play. A really delightful short piece (about 3.5′), written for us to premiere on the FreeLAncer Series in April 2018. Recording of the premiere.
Zach Sheets, from the silhouette quarry. Written for Ben Roidl-Ward and William Overcash, and premiered in 2017. The score and a recording are available on the composer’s website.
David Stern, Duet for Violin and Bassoon. Written for Dyad by Los Angeles-based composer David Stern, we premiered the first movement in our first season and are looking forward to presenting the complete three movement work in our current season.
Gernot Wolfgang, Encounters. Links to music and recordings
Our Own Arrangements
Ernest Bloch, Prayer. We had each played this as a solo piece before Niv was asked to create a duo version, which we first performed in 2017. The arrangement features both instruments as equal voices.
Jules Massenet, Meditation from Thais (approx. 6’). Arranged by Niv Ashkenazi for Dyad in 2014. Soundcloud link here. Music available (please email).
Camille Saint-Saens, Danse Macabre. Arranged by Niv Ashkenazi for Dyad in 2016. Perfect for Halloween.
Other Arrangements/Flexible Instrumentation
Ludwig van Beethoven, 3 Duets for Clarinet and Bassoon WoO27. Relatively simple pieces, quite possibly not Beethoven. Possible with flexible instrumentation.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Mordechai Rechtman (arr), Sonata K.292. An arrangement of the Mozart sonata for two bassoons (or bassoon and cello), in F major instead of the original Bb major. This arrangement is for one high and one low voice, and works well for violin and bassoon.
