The recording of Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s sonatas ends with sonatas 4, 5 and 6, after the first three appeared a year ago. The experienced duo Agnès Pyka and Dimitri Vassilakis, considered to be the smallest configuration of the Des Équilibres Ensemble, took up these works. While the pianist had already convinced us on stage with the piano work of Steve Reich during the Rainy Days in Luxembourg, our knowledge of the violinist’s playing is limited to these recordings. As in the first disc, the two artists found a way to coordinate the their interaction. This is exactly what makes their performance so attractive.
The second part of the recorded sonatas continues in a perfect balance in which the two performers respond to each other’s breath and gesture. Then, the composer insists clearly more strongly on the drama of his destiny. The tone becomes harder, more repulsive, more agitated, similar to Weinberg’s own life. This does not change the good interpretation of the music by the two musicians. The Sonatas 4, 5, 6 therefore live up to the promises of the first series.
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