Morris Rosenzweig

Violin, Cello, and Piano

Program Notes:

Roman Passacaglias, scored for violin, violoncello, and piano, received its premiere performance in Amsterdam in 1992 by the Leonardo Trio, the ensemble to whom the work was dedicated. 

The work is built upon five passacaglia themes. 

The opening passage, executed staccato and pianissimo by the violin and piano with arachnidian precision, almost leaves the listener behind as its rapid, syncopated turns quickly etch jagged contours. A short interlude briefly presents the coloristic cello topic, the nervous piano chords, and the violin's signature scalar gesture, before sending the piano and cello on a melodic tangent that at first seems to mimic the violin/piano opening; soon, though, unison spins out into moments of convergence and counterpoint.

In the piano and cello, but only briefly; after an aggressive chordal passage and a thorough exegesis of the scalar theme in all instruments, a version of the opening material returns to round out the form.

- Jeremy Grimshaw