Dhipli Zyia for violin and cello

Dhipli Zyia for violin and cello [1951]

This late-night concert gives us the opportunity to hear more works in the violin/cello duo repertoire made special by the husband-wife team of Greek violinist Jonian Kadesha and English cellist Vashti Hunter. Apart from their solo, duo and trio careers they are also members of the Budapest-based Kelemen Quartet. Xenakis was a Greek composer although born in Romania.  He fought for Greek independence both against the Axis powers during the War and afterwards in the Civil War. When the right-wing Generals came to power he had to be spirited out of the country. He fled to Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Dhipli Zyia is a very early work from before his compositions became translations of mathematical formulas. It is a long way from his later style of avant-garde music. Kadesha and Hunter describe it as clearly a homage to his Greek roots. The piece’s earthy and pulsating rhythms drive us through a fiery traditional Greek folk dance, followed by a brief rhapsodic interlude, both yearning and melancholic; a strong characteristic trait of Balkan music. However this is short-lived and the vibrant dance cuts back in, hypnotically spinning its way to the end of the piece.