Respighi, one of Italy’s greatest composers and yet an enigma for many; what precisely makes his music so captivating? Is it his Italian nature? The use of instrumental colors that he learned from Rimsky-Korsakov? The influences of German composers, particularly Richard Strauss? Or perhaps his sense for tradition?

It is in this respect that Respighi is such an intriguing composer. And it is likewise in this respect that his music is a challenge for contemporary performers. His continual use of assonance and allusion, here exemplified in his works for violin and piano, reflects a powerful psycho-emotional language anchored in tradition.

The Sonata in D Minor is an early composition written when Respighi was still a student at the conservatory in Bologna. Its skillful writing for violin and piano reflects his enormous instrumental talents; he was not only a virtuoso violinist (and violist) but also a gifted pianist. The Six Pieces from the years 1902 to 1905 form a unique suite, a select collection of transcriptions by the young composer of his own works.

The Sonata in B minor was written more than a decade after the Six Pieces. It quickly became Respighi’s most well-known chamber music composition, in part due to the many outstanding artists who championed it, Jascha Heifetz in particular. The concluding Passacaglia was soon regarded as a masterful example of the composer’s polished craft. The work is thoroughly romantic in nature, as exemplified by the expansive melodies in the first movement.

Ingolf Turban is one of Germany’s leading violinists. He is accompanied by the remarkable Russian pianist Katia Nemirovitch-Dantchenko.