Duo Concertante

ABOUT THE WORK: The Duo Concertante was composed in 1982 as a commission from the Dutch ensemble Duo Contemporaine (Henri Bok and Evert Le Mair). In addition to becoming part of that Duo's repertoire, the piece also intrigued the famous Czech bass clarinetist Josef Hork, Bok's teacher, who immediately after its completion premiered it with Emma Kovrnov (keyboard) in Biberach (Germany), and a year later played it with the marimbaphonist Miroslav Kokoska in Prague. The composer therefore dedicates the work to all of these musicians. The one-movement, extremely concentrated and exacting composition affords both players the opportunity to shine in cadenzas, but also to join in gentle passages, where in certain registers the timbres of the very different instruments almost match or even blend. ABOUT THE COMPOSER: One of the most prominent Czech composers of her generation, Ivana Loudov (1941-) has been a member of the composition faculty of the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Prague since 1992. Her early studies in Prague were with Czech composers Miloslav Kabelac and Emil Hlobil, and this was followed by work in Paris with Olivier Messiaen and Andre Jolivet. Her vast catalog of compositions includes works for orchestra, various chamber ensembles, solo instruments, and voice.