Sarah Nemtanu and Deborah Nemtanu - Bartok: 44 Duos (2016)

Béla Bartók composed his 44 Duos for two violins primarily as a pedagogical series for young students, but the collection has become increasingly popular with accomplished violinists for recordings and as recital fare, and it is usually played in its entirety, due to the brevity of the individual pieces. Sarah and Deborah Nemtanu present the 44 Duos on their debut album for Decca, and their eloquent and highly expressive playing proves that the work is as musically satisfying as the artistry they bring to it, and as listenable as Bartók's Mikrokosmos for piano, another work for students written in the same period. On the surface, these pieces may seem simplistic and almost naïve in their melodic contours and harmonies, though Bartók based them on folk songs and dances that he had collected, and the sisters take the Magyar and other ethnic flavors into account. All the same, their interpretation overall is lyrical, thoughtful, and abstract, and its smooth continuity and the studio acoustics prevent the start-stop feeling one finds in other less-polished performances.

TRACKLIST

01. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 1. Parosito
02. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 2. Kalamajko
03. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 3. Menuetto
04. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 4. Szentivaneji
05. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 5. Tot Nota
06. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 6. Magyar Nota
07. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 7. Olah Nota
08. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 8. Tot Nota 2
09. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 9. Jatek
10. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 10. Ruten Nota
11. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 11. Gyermekrengeteskor
12. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 12. Szenagyujteskor
13. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 13. Lakodalmas
14. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 14. Parnas Tanc
15. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 15. Katonanota
16. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 16. Burleszk
17. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 17. Menetelo Nota
18. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 18. Menetelo Nota 2
19. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 19. Mese
20. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 20. Dal
21. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 21. Ujevkoszonto
22. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 22. Szunyogtanc
23. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 23. Menyasszonybucsuztato
24. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 24. Trefas Nota
25. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 25. Magyar Nota 2
26. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 26. Ugyan Edes Komamasszony
27. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 27. Santa-Tanc
28. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 28. Bankodas
29. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 29. Ujevkoszonto 2
30. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 30. Ujevkoszonto 3
31. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 31. Ujevkoszonto 4
32. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 32. Maramarosi Tanc
33. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 33. Arataskor
34. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 34. Szamlalo Nota
35. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 35. Ruten Kolomejka
36. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 36. Szol a Duda - Valtozata
37. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 37. Preludium es Kanon
38. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 38. Forgatos
39. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 39. Szerb Tanc
40. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 40. Olah Tanc
41. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 41. Scherzo
42. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 42. Arab Dal
43. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 43. Pizziccato
44. Sarah Nemtanu, Déborah Nemtanu - 44 Duos for Two Violins, Sz 98 - 44. Erdelyi Tanz