for two solo violins and string ensemble / string orchestra
Duration: 5'
Scoring2 solo vln.4vla.3vlc.db or sm string orchestra
World Premiere8/8/1995 Gstaad Festival, Gstaad Gstaad Festival Ensemble / Yehudi Menuhin OM KBE (World premiere of string orchestra version: 4/25/1996 Bochum, Bochum Symphoniker / Steven Sloane)
Composer Notes
Duet was composed in 1993 and is dedicated to Yehudi Menuhin and to those ideals of international understanding which Sir Yehudi has practiced throughout his life. The piece is approximately five minutes in length. It is scored for two solo violins and a small group of violas, celli, and bass. Beginning and ending in F the music is built around simple unison canons between the two violins who, from time to time, slightly vary the rhythmic distance between their two voices.
Steve Reich, 1995