MÍŠEK • Sonata in E minor (3rd and 4th mov.) Božo Paradžik (double bass) & Maria Sofianska (piano)

0:02 Furiant (3. movement) 4:48 Finale (4. movement) Adolf Míšek (1875-1955), Sonata for double bass and piano No.2 in E minor, op. 6 Recorded in Müllheim (D) on May 31, 2021 Artists: Božo Paradžik, double bass Maria Sofianska, piano Adolf Míšek’s most performed composition, first two movements in our interpretation have been uploaded earlier under: Instead of a Scherzo, the composer has used in this sonata the Furiant, a traditional Czech dance with an alternating rhythm. In Czech folk music, the Furiant dance usually begins with three two-beat units in which the dancers jump and change direction twice, followed by two three-beat units at roughly the same tempo as a flowing waltz, in which the dancers clap with their hands. Mathematically is the duration of the 3 two-beat units the same like of 2 three-beats units. Míšek followed this form to the letter in his 3rd movement. While the average human body needs enough time so the dancers can change the direction - and that makes tempo of Furiant comparably slow, the composer surprizes us after the exposure of the main theme in minor key: a variation in major key follows, with very virtuosic passages on double bass. This movement contains a typical Trio that reminds strongly on some Trios from Beethoven’s symphonies. The trio is in a form of the canon. Composer followed in the powerful final movement the idea of the first movement: he tried to reach tonal intensity typical rather for the symphonic repertoire. It is an impressive ending of this remarkable sonata, which became worldwide standard recital repertory for double bass with piano.