The Duo for Violin, Cello, and Small Orchestra, Op. 43 (German: ), sometimes also referred to as the Duo for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra or, simply, the Duo, is a composition by German composer Hans Pfitzner. It was finished in 1937.
Background The Duo was finished in 1937. It received its world premiere on 3 December, 1937, at the Museumskonzert in Frankfurt, Germany, performed by Max Strub at the violin, Ludwig Hoelscher at the cello, and the composer conducting. It was dedicated to the two soloists. The duo was published that same year, in 1937, as a reduction for violin, cello, and piano, in Leipzig by F.E.C. Leuckart. The full orchestral score was not published until many years after the composer's death, in 1964.
Structure The piece is structured into three movements (or a single movement in three distinct sections). It is scored for two soloists, a violin and a cello, with a reduced orchestra consisting ot two flutes, two clarinets in B, two bassons, two French horns, and a string section. It has an approximate duration of 13 minutes. The movement list is as follows:
Even though it is scored in the fashion of a double concerto, Pfitzner specified that it should not be regarded as a virtuosistic or concertante piece, but rather as a chamber piece, especially when performing the violin, cello, and piano reduction. He went further and stated that the two solo players should "never perform their parts from memory, but should play seated at the stand, reading from the score."
Recordings The following is a list of recordings of the Duo for Violin, Cello, and Small Orchestra: +Recordings of Pfitzner's Duo for Violin, Cello, and Small OrchestraViolinCelloConductorOrchestraDate of recordingPlace of recordingLabelMax StrubLudwig HoelscherHans PfitznerStaatskapelle BerlinFebruary 1938Berlin, GermanyEMI ClassicsGergana GergovaAlban GerhardtSebastian WeigleRundfunk-Sinfonieorchester BerlinJune 2012Haus des Rundfunks, Berlin, GermanyHyperion Records
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