Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman Grand Duo 1

Towards the end of 1976 Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman made a European tour together, playing duos for two violins and for violin and viola with Zukerman playing the viola part.

The tour began with a concert in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris and was one of those rare musical occasions, which in time become legend. It produced extraordinary enthusiasm with the public and the critics alike. Jean Cotte in “France Soir” headed his review “Perlman-Zukerman, un vrai miracle”. The pair went on to tour many of the musical capitals of Europe with similar success and ended the tour with a concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

The opportunity seemed ideal for television and too good to miss. We arranged a special concert at the Royal College of Music in London on the only free evening in the entire tour and filmed the whole programme. The intention was to select the best from the occasion and to produce a 50 or 60-minute film.

The first contains a short introduction, filmed during the rehearsal and back-stage (immediately prior to the concert), which is both informative and entertaining. The concert then begins with two Caprices for two Violins by Wieniawsky, continues with the Grand Duo Concertante for Two Violins, Opus 67, by Spohr and ends with the very entertaining Duo for Violin and Viola by Händel/Halvorsen.

The second programme has a very short introduction establishing time and place. The concert then begins with the Sonata for Two Violins No 5 by Leclair and continues with the Duo No 1 for violin and viola K423 by Mozart. This programme ends with an encore for two violins by Wieniawsky, the Caprice in A minor - a marvellous display of elegant virtuosity.