For centuries, musical delights have been coming out of Granada, Spain, and the 22-year-old violinist Maria Dueñas is no exception. Her sophomore album, "Paganini: 24 Caprices" is now available from Deutsche Grammophon. I had a chance to catch up with the talented performer to learn how Paganini’s music is both the backbone of and a building block on this two-CD set.
Nathan Cone: These Paganini caprices are studies, but they're not just exercises, because they are studies in composition and tunefulness as well. How do you approach them as a performer?
Maria Dueñas: Well, I think the Paganini caprices, for sure, are one of these legendary works in the violin repertoire. They have accompanied me for such a long time, and it was really interesting to me, to show not only the virtuosic aspect, which, of course, is the center and the key point, but also a more musical approach, because in this time in Italy [when they were written], I think Paganini was very inspired and influenced by bel canto opera. So I try to show this musical component as well,
A very singing aspect to it, then!
Right, exactly!
There are so many of them to love. I mean, I think number six, “The Trill,” is one of my favorites because it has this ghostly sound to it. Do you have any particular favorites that you've enjoyed playing?
One of my favorite ones is number 11 because it has this very musical singing cantilena in the beginning, which I find so beautiful. Then it has this very virtuosic and crazy middle part. So it's like a beautiful contrast of these two worlds together. But also, as you said, there are some which are not as... kind of... not too easy to understand them from the beginning. For example, the number eight has a very complex structure, so it kind of took me some time to kind of find the sense. But I think in the end, yeah, in the end, it turned out to be one of my favorites, because I found so many little details and nuances to kind of to build around it.
What are the markings in the score? I only know them as a listener.
Well. I actually worked with the manuscript, with Paganini's facsimile. And it's interesting, because I think sometimes in our modern editions, it is not written exactly as Paganini wrote. For example, you were talking about Caprice number six.... He actually wrote every single note. So not as a “trill.” I think many performers maybe approach it as a trill, but I think he wrote all these little notes for a reason, so I really try to kind of play every single note, and not making them less important than the main melody. So yes, I always enjoy working with the original score
In the liner notes to your new album—specifically referencing the number five—you say it sounds different depending on the violin you’re using which, of course, I imagine it would. So in general, how do you decide which instrument that you're using for a performance, for a recording, for practice, etc, etc.?
It depends on the program. So I'm very lucky to be able to play on two wonderful violins. And in this recording, I recorded the Paganini caprices on the Gagliano, but the rest of the recording program, like the pieces with orchestra, I performed on a different violin, and the pieces with piano, I played on the Stradivari, trying to really match the violin to the piece.
What elements make that choice?
I would say the Nicolò Gagliano violin that I play has a very warm and brilliant sound. So I think when I'm recording alone in a studio, [with that instrument] I have a lot of possibilities to go very, very quiet and... to create a very intimate atmosphere. But the Stradivari has a very powerful sound. It's a darker sound. So with an orchestra, I think it fits better, kind of the feeling of being one violin against the whole orchestra. Also, depending on if the piece is a more dark character or a more fun one... it always depends on the mood.
The Paganini is of course just one half of the album. There's a whole second disc of compositions, both old and new. And here in San Antonio, we're big fans of Gabriela Ortiz's music, since we're so close to Mexico and our composer friends from down there. And I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how you met her, and commissioned “De cuerda y Medera.”
I first came in contact with Gabriela Ortiz when I was working with her on her violin concerto, which was dedicated to me. It was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel… so that was the first interaction we had. And it was such an interesting project. I think our cultures are very similar. We have very similar roots, since she's from Mexico and I'm from Spain, so we really understand each other very well. So when I was thinking about commissioning a piece for this album, I immediately thought of her, because I think she also has this very capricious personality… feeling the word "caprice!" So, yes, it is a very virtuosic piece, a very joyful piece.
How do you hope folks that will receive this album, and not just that they'll like the album… but what do you think or hope that it might inspire in a listener or maybe even in a young musician?
Well, I think this aspect that I was talking about, about trying to show the more musical side to the caprices, will hopefully kind of touch the audience. Because I think even if Paganini wrote the caprices, maybe for himself, to work on some technical aspects, I think in the end, music is what touches the audience and what gets closer to them. And I hope through the other works that I recorded, apart from the Paganini caprices, that there might be some discoveries. Because for me personally, there were some pieces that I had never listened to before. So I'm hoping to kind of open this world around the word "caprice."
This is your, I believe, second album for Deutsche Grammophon. What was it like when you learned that you were going to be part of this storied history on what's probably the most recognized classical label around the world?
Well, it was such an honor. I remember growing up, seeing the yellow label on the on the recordings. So of course, it's a responsibility as well… because I feel the need to maintain a certain quality in my playing and in the way that I present myself as an artist. I always try to just present myself in a very honest way.
I read that in your spare time, that you work on some compositions yourself, and I was wondering how that's going, and what those kind of sound like?
Well, composition is a very natural thing for me in a way, because I started just writing cadenzas to violin concertos, so it was kind of very natural starting in this world. But yes, later on, I kind of was just improvising on the piano and a little piece for piano was kind of created, and also a piece for solo violin. It just kind of naturally happens.
What's on your kind of bucket list? I know you're still a very young performer, but surely there's something that you are thinking like, oh, I want to aim in my career towards this. You know, that's the piece I want to play five years from now, 10 years from now, etc.
Well, there are so many pieces that I haven't played yet. It's such an endless repertoire in the violin literature, but I always try to program one new piece for me in every season. So for example, I will perform Saint-Saens's Concerto No. 3, which I never played before. Next season, I will do Szymanowski. I will do the Barber. So I'm also very interested in kind of discovering concertos that there are not as often performed. I recently worked on the Halvorsen concerto, which was played, I think, only twice in history! So I'm really trying to program this piece, because I believe it's a great piece of music.
When you're not actively working on listening to music, what do you like to do?
I like to listen to music other than classical. I like pop. I like listening to vinyls, especially! I have a very large vinyl collection. But I also enjoy sports. I like swimming. I like reading, just taking walks, just enjoying nature.
Thanks so much for sharing a little bit of insight into your caprices album with us here in San Antonio, we sure appreciate it.
Thank you, my pleasure!
