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Sarah Walker presents Dvořák Plus, with music performed by the violinist Aleksey Semenenko with the pianist Sam Haywood, recorded at St Mary's Church, Hay-on-Wye, during the 2022 Hay Festival. The concert includes Dvořák’s Sonatina, composed in America and featuring a theme he noted down on his shirt cuff, when visiting the awesome natural wonder of the Minnehaha Falls. The programme also features music by Austrian composer Maria Theresia von Paradis. Paradis was a pianist, organist and singer, and composers such as Mozart, Salieri and possibly Haydn all dedicated concertos to her. The Sicilenne by Paradis is her most popular work.

In the second half of the concert, we hear music by the Swedish violinist and composer Amanda Röntgen-Maier. Marriage to fellow composer Julius Röntgen ended her career as a performer, but the couple arranged private musical salons for the likes of Grieg, Joachim and Brahms. It was during her studies in Germany when in her twenties, that she composed her violin sonata. The concert then ends with a popular work by another violinist and composer, Sarasate, who was known for composing technically difficult music.

Aleksey Semenenko, violin
Sam Haywood, piano

Antonín Dvořák: Sonatina in G, Op 100
Maria Theresia von Paradis: Sicilenne
Amanda Röntgen-Maier: Sonata in B minor
Pablo de Sarasate: Introduction and Tarantella, Op 43

Produced by Luke Whitlock