Top 5 Violin Duet Pieces
The Violin is one of the most expressive instruments to ever be invented. This said, two violins should be doubly-expressive, right?
Here, we’ll go through my top 5 violin duet pieces out of repertoire from the last 2 centuries.
On the subject of violin duets, feel free to click here to check out my work for 2 violins called Lovey, Swampy. The piece was largely inspired by all of the works mentioned in this blog, so be sure to give that a listen if you’re curious.
Furthermore, let’s dive into some of my favorite violin duet pieces.
1. 44 Duos for 2 Violins – Béla Bartók
Bartók’s 44 Duos for 2 Violins are probably the most notable pieces of music for 2 unaccompanied violins, and that is for good reason.
Throughout all 44 duos, Bartók is masterfully working a deep pedagogical study on the violin with years of his studies on Hungarian folk music.
The result is this well-informed, expansive work that still feels entirely Bartókian in its composition.
2. 34 Duetti per due violini – Luciano Berio
Berio’s 34 Duetti feel like the perfect follow up to Bartók’s Duos, and that is because they are intended to be to an extent.
Berio set out to write his Duetti in response to Bartók’s pedagogical exercise, but he decided to take it several layers deeper.
Berio’s Duetti do function pedagogically, introducing a vast vocabulary of violin technique, but they also grasp much more with allusion and historical commentary.
While they are all aware of folk tradition, they also reflect on a myriad of things, including the personalities of Berio’s peers, the evolution of classical form, and more.
All in all, these “Duetti” manage to effectively balance so many musical and artistic tasks in a way that feels all-encompassing and entirely cohesive.
3. Sonata for Two Violins – Eugène Ysaÿe
Ysaÿe never formally studied composition, as he was busy being one of the greatest violin virtuosos of all time.
So much so that around the turn of the century, he was literally regarded as the “king of the violin”. His unorthodox yet masterful technique combined with his dazzling interpretive capabilities put Ysaÿe at the front of the classical music hall of fame.
This said, his Sonata for Two Violins may not be the most intricate of compositions, but it is so masterfully written for the instrument that it has to be included on this list.
The piece is full of double stops between the two violins that sound so incredibly natural, and at parts the two violinists end up sounding like a full violin section in an orchestra.
4. Rocking Mirror Daybreak – Tōru Takemitsu
Next on the list is Takemitsu’s Rocking Mirror Daybreak, a work in 3 movements based on the linked text by Makoto Ōoka and Thomas Fitzsimmons.
This duo uses breaks, or pauses, in the music to communicate the Japanese concept of “ma”, which traditionally defines a pause/emptiness in space and time, but is used by Takemitsu to refer to empty space being a present musical element.
The piece makes the list because not only is Takemitsu deploying his brilliant sound world onto the expressive palette of the violin duet, but he is also experimenting with form in very interesting ways.
“Mirrors” can be heard all over the piece in structural cadences and canons, all of which coincide with what is occurring in the text at any given moment.
5. Sonata for 2 Violins – Sergei Prokofiev
Prokofiev’s Sonata for 2 Violins is packed with interesting material that feels wholly unified and also shows off the expressive capabilities of the violin.
Here is a comment from Prokofiev’s 1941 autobiography:
“Listening to bad music sometimes inspires good ideas… After once hearing an unsuccessful piece [unspecified] for two violins without piano accompaniment, it struck me that in spite of the apparent limitations of such a duet one could make it interesting enough to listen to for ten or fifteen minutes”
I would say Prokofiev’s attempt to make the limitations of the violin duet as interesting as possible were quite effective, solidifying the piece on this list.
Conclusion
As you can see, the violin duet is a highly expressive instrumentation with lots of fantastic repertoire to choose from (shout-out to Semaj Murphy for the suggestions).
Looking for more repertoire?
Click here to check out my work for violin duet, titled Lovey, Swampy.
It’s balance of non-measured music with dance meter pair with imagery of ducks I inherited from my childhood.
It was written for a premiere at Sunset Chamberfest on June 12, 2019, performed by Max Tan and Nicole Sauder.
