Bartók's Violin Concerto no. 2 (Ep 2 2020)

ANAM Radio

Episode 2, 2020: Bartók’s Violin Concerto Wednesday 3 June 2020 The 1930s sees the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók at the height of his career as he produced succeeding masterpieces exhibiting strict counterpoints and new sounds. That is why the Violin Concerto he wrote for his close associate, violin virtuoso Zoltán Székely was seen as a step backwards by some as Bartók had to relent to Székely’s request to stick to a more traditional three-movement composition. ANAM Music Librarian Phil Lambert thinks otherwise and revisits this Bartók masterpiece performed by ANAM alumnus Johnny van Gend (violin 2019) at the 2019 ANAM Concerto Competition. Hear Phil and Johnny chat about the great Hungarian composer and the grand ending of the Violin Concerto which again showed Bartók accommodating Székely’s wishes to have the spotlight on the violinist at the end of the performance. Johnny was the winner of ANAM’s 2019 Concerto Competition that was held in Hobart with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. The music you will hear is from his Melbourne performance where he performed the piece with Peter de Jager on piano. Johnny was also the inaugural recipient of the ANAM position in the Bavarian State Opera’s Orchestra Academy in Munich, Germany. To watch the video recording of Johnny's full performance, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1thGovmLg64&feature=youtu.be