Violinist Merel Vercammen and pianist Dana Ivanova play, in addition to Brahms’ second sonata, a program most of which is French-oriented, including the sonatas of Debussy and Poulenc and the piece ‘Sarasvati’ by Joey Roukens. This Schiedam-born composer, who spent his high school years at the Stedelijk Gymnasium, is one of the greatest composers of his generation.

Roukens wrote ‘Sarasvati’ in the hot summer of 2018. It has become a sultry work in which he has used elements of Eastern music. It is inspired by the Indian river of the same name, which is considered sacred by Hindus. Merel Vercammen: “A babbling brook becomes a large river, which becomes increasingly turbulent halfway through the piece. Ultimately, a swirling mass of water flows ecstatically into the sea. It seems that Debussy also returns to nature in his sonata. In the last part I hear a peacock spreading its feathers.” Poulenc wrote his sonata for the famous Spanish poet Lorca. “In this work I will play guitar on the violin. That means a lot of picking at the strings.”

Program:

 Claude Debussy – Sonate (1917)
 Mathilde Wantenaar – Petit Morceau (2023)
Francis Poulenc – Sonate (1943)

 Johannes Brahms – 2e sonate opus 100 (1886)
 Joey Roukens – Sarasvati (2018)