Presents
Paul Juon
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SOUNDBITES |
Sieben Tondichtungen / Seven Tone Poems
For Two Violins and Piano, Op.81
Paul Juon's Sieben Tondichtungen or tone poems for 2 Violins and Piano were not his first foray into this genre. His first venture came in 1899 and were titled Silhouettes. They were character pieces, a once popular format for recitals and concerts which Robert Schumann had pioneered. A second set, also titled Silhouettes, came a decade later in 1909 by which time he was living and teaching in Berlin. The music tonally is more advanced and shows the influence of developments then taking place. The Seven Poems were completed in 1928 just about the time Juon stopped composing. Again, these are character pieces, which while certainly more modern sounding than the previous two sets, are nonetheless entirely tonal.
During his lifetime, Paul Juon (1872-1940) was widely regarded as an important composer and his works were given frequent performance throughout Europe. He has been called the link between Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. In his early music, one can hear the influence of his Russian homeland and schooling. Of course, Juon recognized that though he had been born in Russia and schooled there, he was a still foreigner living among Russians. His second period is more cosmopolitan and is in tune with the contemporary Central European trends of the early 20th century. Ultimately, it is hard to characterize his music as Russian or German, Romantic, Modern or Folkloric, because one can find all of these elements in his music. Paul Juon was the son of Swiss parents who emigrated to Moscow where he was born. Educated at the Moscow German High School, he entered the Moscow Conservatory where he studied violin with Jan Hrimaly and composition with Anton Arensky and Sergei Taneyev. After graduating, he went to Berlin for further composition instruction from Woldemar Bargiel. Juon served as a professor of composition at the prestigious Berlin Hochschule für Musik between 1906 and 1934.
Like his two earliers sets of character pieces for this combination, it is fair to say that these Seven Poems are among the very finest works for 2 violins and piano. Juon was both an expert violinist and pianist. Certainly deserving of concert performance but also for home music making by amateurs.
Parts: $29.95
