The Song of the Enchanting Viola was the working title for this concerto, the reason for this being that it represents the belief that whilst listening to music, our minds go off on a tangent, and even if we are unaware, mental images appear. Therefore the emotional content of the piece is quite clear, and the four movements represent a different emotion each.

The opening chord is confident and striking, and this is the character with which the rest of the movement continues, in many ways it acts as an overture to the concerto, as many of the musical ideas are used in different contexts throughout the piece. The second movement is nostalgic yet elevating, with a lamenting solo viola melody which leads a dialogue with an equally passionate solo violin line. The third movement starts with an unusual technique using overtones, developed by Maxim Rysanov. This leads into the most animated movement of the concerto, its true function is to build the tension for the final movement. In fact there is no break between the third and fourth movements, and the start of the finale is only made evident by the change of metre. This final movement, like the first is confident and powerful, revisiting much of the material heard previously.

This concerto was written for Maxim Rysanov, who premièred it on the 16th of February 2004 at St. John's Smith Square, London with the Russian Chamber Orchestra of London conducted by Julian Gallant. 

Duration: c. 25'

Valonius Press, London, ISMN: M 57028 000 1

Buy D.Tabakova scores from  www.valoniuspress.co.uk/dobrinka