Alexandra Preucil and Antoine Tamestit Release New Bartók 44 Duos Album

A Fresh Approach to Folk-Inspired Works

Bartók’s 44 Duos were composed in connection with a violin method by Erich Doflein and Elma Axenfeld. While the pieces were originally published in an order of increasing difficulty, the new recording by the Starker Duo—a name chosen in honor of Preucil’s grandfather, the Hungarian cellist János Starker—departs from this pedagogical structure.

According to the album booklet, Bartók permitted concert performances to be arranged according to "a more musical logic." To achieve this, Preucil and Tamestit decided on a case-by-case basis which instrument should perform each line, rather than simply assigning the second violin part to the viola. The musicians aimed to capture the colors and emotions of the human voice by experimenting with vibrato, slides, and varied bow placement to imitate the timbre of folk instruments.

Integrating Historical Field Recordings

A central feature of the 2026 release is the interweaving of Bartók’s original field recordings with the musical performances. The album features 11 of these historical audio clips, which were captured by the composer during his ethnomusicological travels in Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, and Algeria between 1907 and 1916.

By threading these recordings through the 44 duo pieces, the musicians intended to place the works in closer proximity to the folk material that shaped them. The project serves as a dialogue between the "source of inspiration" and the refined chamber music that resulted from it.

Musical Background and Collaboration

The collaboration between Preucil and Tamestit grew from a mutual interest in Hungarian music. For Preucil, the project connects to her family heritage; she grew up surrounded by Hungarian relatives in America and has sought to rediscover that cultural connection while living in Vienna. Tamestit, a French violist, has maintained a lifelong fascination with Hungarian music. As part of their research, the duo visited a táncház to further immerse themselves in the living tradition.

Alexandra Preucil, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, is a former Assistant Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra and currently performs with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. She serves as Vice President of the Starker Foundation and directs the Britt Festival Fellowship Program. Antoine Tamestit, who trained at the Conservatoire de Paris and Yale University, has an extensive discography and performs with major international orchestras.

Technical Specifications

The album is available in a high-resolution 24-bit/48kHz format, which the label notes preserves the texture of the historical field recordings alongside the string performances. Further details regarding the release include:

• Label: harmonia mundi (HMM902773)
• Total Duration: 57:20 minutes
• Format: CD / Digital Download
• Release Date: July 17, 2026

Additional information about the project can be found via Thestrad, ytws.net, avxhome.in, musiq2classiq.blogspot.com, and imusic.sg.