In Four Movements: 1. Lento (2' 43"), 2. Allegro (1' 47"), 3 Adagietto (3' 32"), 4. Allegro moderato (1' 42"). Total duration: 9' 57". Score - Duo for Violin and Viola, PDF 9 pages, 246Kb (rev. 5th May 2009)
"Visconti Variations" was first performed on 30th April 2009 by Guan-Xi Masse (violin) and Nigel Keay (viola) in the Grand Salon of the Fondation des États-Unis, Paris, as part of an Orchestre 2021 concert.
"Visconti Variations" was recorded on 1st june 2010 by Simone Roggen (violin) and Cyprien Busolini (viola). This recording appears on the blumlein records CD of Nigel Keay's chamber music Music for Small Groups. 1st movt.: 2nd movt.: 3rd movt.: 4th movt.:
"Visconti Variations", the title of the violin & viola duet refers to rue Visconti, Paris, a street in the 6th Arrondissement (district) with a long and colourful history. Over the years, a large number of painters, sculptors and lithographers have lived and worked in rue Visconti. The first movement of this work was written for the birthday of a friend who is a resident of rue Visconti, and was first played in the same building where Delacroix had painted portraits of Chopin and George Sand. After the first airing of this single movement duet the composer decided to continue writing to make a work of several shortish movements based on the ideas introduced in the first.
The first movement features cross rhythms between the two instruments; two against three and three against four. Sometimes the instruments are playing in a rhythmic unison.
The second movement, inspired by classical textures is constructed on a hocketing idea where the viola chases the violin. Both instruments employ a three-octave range and at times the parts cross over so that the violin is under the viola in register. in this movement both instruments play the same material at different times eg. at bar 36 the viola plays what the violin playede at bar 12.
The third movement is constructed on the same melodic and contrapuntal ideas as the second movement but at a very much slower pace creating a mysterious atmosphere where the harmony takes a long time to resolve.
The fourth movement is built on a compound triple metre with cross rhythm created by duplets across the entire bar.