Prokofiev: Scherzo

It was a demonstration that gave birth to Prokofiev’s Sonata for two violins: the great composer had heard a work for two violins that he thought excruciatingly dull and so he set to work on the composition of his opus 56 with the intention of proving that so specific a form could nonetheless arouse interest. The exercise was wholly convincing. Nearly 75 years later, the young musicians on this disc have tackled the same demonstration, with a power of conviction – as you will notice – that does not lack arguments. Tatiana Samouil is, of course, not unknown to music lovers: the young Russian violinist made a very strong impression during the Queen Elisabeth Competition for violin in 2001. She has since become the leader of the Orchestre Symphonique de La Monnaie, one of the best formations in the kingdom. She is also a chamber musician of the first rank who can be heard in the most prestigious festivals around the world alongside partners who have led dazzling careers. The pianist Plamena Mangova, the official musical partner of Tatiana Samouil, is the laureate of many competitions and she too performs at all the leading festivals of chamber music. With the young violinist Boris Brovtsyn they offer us what will be one of the most powerful and unusual classic performances of the complete violin sonatas of Prokofiev.