Eastern European music has an extremely rich history rooted in folk traditions, cultural shifts and languages. The time frame of Eastern Impressions begins with Janácek’s Violin Sonata (1914) and travels through Vladigerov’s Bulgarian Rhapsody (1922) and Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 (1928) before reaching Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 2 (1943).

Each work takes the listener on a journey full of passion, humour, and vitality, and ultimately shows the strength and triumph of the human spirit. It is fascinating how these works are either loosely or tightly connected to folk traditions. Each one of these four composers returns to the roots of his motherland – in the rhythmic, visceral dance forms and the singing traditions through melodic motives.