• Joan Tower
  • Second String Force

  • G Schirmer Inc (World)

Commissioned with the generous support of Elizabeth Serkin and Herman Silverman

  • violin
  • 8 min 30 s

Programme Note

Composer note:
Second String Force is dedicated to my friend and brilliant violinist Bella Hristova who premiered the work in New York City at Merkin Concert Hall, sponsored by Young Concert Artists.

This work follows another solo violin piece — String Force — which was commissioned by the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 2010. That work is dedicated to Bella's teacher and mentor, the wonderful violinist/conductor Jaime Laredo, hence the title Second String Force.

In both of these work, I tried to show the "force" of a solo violin — both in terms of its capacity for high and fast energy as well as its deep lyrical-melodic capabilities, particularly how it can play very softly in the highest register.

There is a beautiful performance of this piece on YouTube by Bella (see Watch tab for links).

— Joan Tower

Media