The presented duets are much more interesting works than we could suppose looking at their genre, usually associated with short, practice exercises. Kaczkowski indeed wrote the duets that can be challenging for violinists, but musically rewarding as well.
The first work consists of three movements. The first one is an ambitious sonata form withcontrasting themes (the first dramatic, the second optimistic), long and harmonically advanced development, and a reprise with a reversed order of themes. The second movement contains condensed variations, and the third one, by analogy to the first, a sonata form of a lighter mood and with a less complex structure.
The second duet, also consisting of three movements, is constructed similarly. Its first movement refers in its style to the Classical sonata form, which we could find in Haydn’s chamber music, although Kaczkowski willingly makes use of surprising modulations and non-chordal tones. As far as the form is concerned, this duet is even more reminding of a concert genre – in fact, the third movement is called, as usually in the case of violin concertos, the ‘finale’.
Kaczkowski grew up in a family of musicians, surrounded by the active cultural environment of Lviv; thus, he undoubtedly knew very well the names of his great predecessors and heard certain virtuosos by himself. He praised Rode, whom he hailed the violinist equal to Paganini...
- Series: Strumento
- Number of pages: 92
- Cover: softcover
- Type: parts, score
- Size: N4 vertical (235x305 mm)
