The Strad Recommends: Alexandra Preucil, Antoine Tamestit: Bartók

THE STRAD RECOMMENDS

The Strad Issue: October 2026

Description: Field recordings add new insight into a Hungarian polymath

Musicians: Alexandra Preucil (violin) Antoine Tamestit (viola)

Works: Bartók: 44 Duos for two violins (arr. violin and viola); original field recordings

Catalogue number: HARMONIA MUNDI HMM902773

Each one of Bartók’s Duos projects a fantastically original sound world, intricately laced with contrapuntal lines and piquant harmonic clashes, tripping rhythms and intoxicatingly melancholic modal melodies. If played in numerical order of composition, they develop in order of difficulty, following the brief of the violinist Erich Doflein who commissioned them from Bartók. But – as so often with this composer – these inspirational works transcend the element of mere pedagogical studies through their unique combination of simplicity and sophistication.

The inclusion of Bartók’s original field recordings within the Duos is revelatory, illustrating the asymmetric melodies and modal folk material that inspired the composer on his travels, but also demonstrating how inventively he treats the material. Furthermore, the substitution of viola for the second violin part on this release offers a deeper timbral advantage, although of course the contrapuntal brilliance of these works means they can be played by pretty much any duo combination. Here, Alexandra Preucil and Antoine Tamestit (who made the arrangements) etch each duo with fantastic character and precision, arranging the order for maximum contrast of mood, thus generating an absolutely compelling and magical set.

Of the 44 Duos, the swirling augmented intervals of the ‘Arabian Song’, poignancy of ‘Wedding Song’, eloquence of the early ‘Menuetto’, and humour of the ‘Mosquito Dance’ are notable highlights, but everything on this recording is gloriously varied.

JOANNE TALBOT