In our performance we always try to tell the listener a story. Joy and despair, feelings of love and rejection, music can express it all and this is what we are aiming for.
We work in great detail on preparing exciting and colourful interpretations of pieces, but also we love to experiment with space and acoustic of the venue, as well as incorporating elements of instrumental theatre. Mixing the music of composers we love with our own compositions and improvisations makes every concert a unique experience. During our concerts we love to communicate with each other and with the audience as well, trying to „break the wall” and take them on a journey with us.
Being able to play different instruments, we enjoy combining them within a program, this enhances our repertoire and enriches the pallet of sounds we can use. Apart of classical music, we also love different styles like jazz, tango, folk music, incorporating them can give to our programs unexpected twist. Semion has a great experience in electronic music and he loves to use ambient textures and synthesized sounds in his compositions for the Duo.
Here are a few of our concert-programs. The presented repertoires last approximately 60 minutes. We would be happy to provide repertoire proposals for longer concerts as well, and we are open to creating new concepts that fit the theme of your festival.
For more programmes feel free to contact us.
Great Dionysia
Semion Gurevich – baroque violin
Agnieszka Skorupa – harpsichord
Duration – about 70 minutes
Program
Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg – Rondeau La Nymphe Marine from Suite No. 5 in G Major for harpsichord, Arr. for violin and harpsichord by Duo Agion
George Frideric Handel – Aria Wou’d you gain the tender Creature from Acis and Galatea HWV 49 for violin and basso continuo
Michel Corrette – Sonata in A Major op. 25 No. 3 Le Jardin des Hespérides
Semion Gurevich – Fantasia Narcissus and Echo on themes from Händels Sonata in D Major
George Frideric Handel – Sonata in D Major HWV 371
Jean-Philippe Rameau – Les Cyclopes for harpsichord
Michel Corrette – Sonata in e minor op. 25 No. 4 Les Amusemens d’Apollon chez le Roi Admète
Description
We invite you to ancient Greece, where we will celebrate the Great Dionysia. The Great Dionysia were festivals of wine, joy, sorrow, love, and ecstasy. In this lightly dramatised program, you will encounter various ancient Greek characters – Nymphs, Apollo, Cyclopes, Narcissus, and Echo. Baroque composers often drew inspiration from ancient Greek themes, whether it be Handel in his operas, Marpurg in his harpsichord suites, or Michel Corrette in his sonatas. In addition to the works of these composers, we will also have the opportunity to listen to a unique piece by Semion Gurevich inspired by Handel’s sonata. It is a fantasy titled Narcissus and Echo, which combines improvisation with electronic music.
The entire program also includes thoughtfully incorporated elements of instrumental theatre, which reference Dionysia, an ancient Greek festival during which numerous theatrical performances took place.
Sandro Botticelli – Primavera (fragment)Straight on the Drum of the Ear – English music between Purcell and Handel
Semion Gurevich – baroque violin & viola
Agnieszka Skorupa – harpsichord
Duration – about 70 minutes
Program
Henry Purcell – Ground in c ZD 221
Francesco Geminiani – Violin Solo in C IFG 25
George Frideric Handel – Sonata for harpsichord and viola in C Major IGH 543
Henry Purcell – Prelude in G minor for violin ZN 773
George Frideric Handel – Sonata in G minor for violin and basso continuo, HWV 364a
Semion Gurevich – Prelude in E minor
George Frideric Handel – Suite in e minor for harpsichord HWV 438
Duo Agion – Ground in A Major
Richard Jones – Sonata in A minor for violin and basso continuo op. 2 No. 4
David Teniers – Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his gallery in Brussels, c. 1647–1651Description
“Straight on the Drum of the Ear” is a time-travel through English music from the late 17th to early 18th centuries. During this period, England eagerly welcomed distinguished musicians from across Europe. It had a notable impact on English music, primarily through French, Italian, and German styles.
The performance will showcase not only compositions by English composers but also works by those who, during their time in England, certainly inspired the local musicians. Among these influential figures was George Frideric Handel, who was particularly celebrated in England and skillfully blended various styles in his music.
The program is structured around short compositions — preludes or ground basses (in part improvised) that serve as introductions to sonatas by other composers. This organically integrates the styles of different composers and offers the audience a chance to experience the rich diversity of English music.
Gottfried van Swieten and his Protégés – Music by Haydn, Mozart and the Bach Family
Semion Gurevich – classical violin
Agnieszka Skorupa – fortepiano
Duration: about 60 minutes
Program
Johann Sebastian Bach – Largo from Sonata in C minor BWV 1017
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach – Sonata in C minor Wq 78
Joseph Haydn – Sonata in G Major Hob. XV/32
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Sonata in C Major K. 296
Description
The concert offers a unique insight into the musical life and influence of one of the most intriguing figures of the 18th century: Baron Gottfried van Swieten was not only a diplomat, but also a major patron of music, playing a key role in promoting and shaping the work of some of the era’s greatest composers.
Van Swieten’s connections with Berlin and Vienna made him a crucial bridge between these two major musical centres. His passion for the baroque music of J. S. Bach and G. F. Handel, as well as his relationships with classical composers like Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, had a significant impact on the development of classical music.
In addition to generously funding composers, the Baron also commissioned, for example, the transcription of works by Bach and his contemporaries into the current musical idioms. Inspired by this idea, Duo Agion will also perform the first movement of a J. S. Bach sonata on the fortepiano in a style that was more common practice in Mozart’s lifetime.
This concert is not only a journey through the diverse musical styles of the 18th century but also a tribute to Gottfried van Swieten, whose passion and support for music helped shape the soundscape of his time.
Beethoven’s Echoes – Violin Sonatas by Beethoven, Ries and Schubert
Semion Gurevich – romantic violin
Agnieszka Skorupa – fortepiano
Duration: about 60 minutes
Program
Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonata D Major op. 12 No. 1 (1799)
Ferdinand Ries – Sonata in C-sharp minor op. 71 (1812)
Franz Schubert – Sonata in G minor D 408 (1816)
Description
“Beethoven’s Echoes” is a concert that features the works of Beethoven alongside those of composers from his circle. Beethoven, a visionary composer, charted his own course, pioneering new directions that profoundly shaped the history of music. His influence inspired many of his contemporaries, including Ferdinand Ries and Franz Schubert.
Ferdinand Ries, not only Beethoven’s student but also his secretary, copyist, and friend, shared a complex relationship with the master—one that, while challenging, was mutually enriching. The program includes the rarely performed, dramatic Sonata in the unusual key of C-sharp minor for piano and violin by Ries.
The concert concludes with a sonata by Franz Schubert. Though it remains uncertain whether Schubert and Beethoven ever met, despite living in the same city, it is documented that Schubert was among the pallbearers at Beethoven’s funeral. What is certain, however, is Schubert’s deep admiration for Beethoven’s work, which he knew intimately. This reverence may have even deterred him from meeting the great master face-to-face.
Ecstasy or madness?
Semion Gurevich – baroque violin
Agnieszka Skorupa – harpsichord
Duration – about 65 minutes
Program
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber – Sonata in g minor No. 10 from Rosary Sonatas
Duo Agion – Meditation about Corellis Sonata in F Major
Arcangelo Corelli – Sonata in F Major op. 5 No. 4
Steffan Nau – Fantasia for violin solo
George Frideric Handel – Aria Ombra mai fu from Xerxes HWV 40 (arr. Duo Agion)
Johann Philipp Kirnberger – Fugue in F minor, EngK 28 for harpsichord solo
Duo Agion – Meditation about Tartinis Devil’s Trill Sonata
Giuseppe Tartini – Devil’s Trill Sonata in G minor
Description
Where does genius end and madness begin? At what point does revelation become delirium? In this program, we want to explore this boundary with you – between ecstasy and madness.
We aim to explore different facets of ecstasy – from the religious ecstasy of Biber’s Sonata, through the ecstatic naturalness of Corelli, to the nearly fanatical madness of Tartini and Kirnberger, and the longing tranquillity in Handel’s “Ombra mai fu.” The music of these composers will take us on a journey that probes the limits of the human mind and allows us to delve deeper into the mysteries of artistic inspiration. To better convey our perspective on this theme, we will spice up these works with our improvisations, incorporating elements of electronic music.
In the words of Polonius, describing Hamlet’s apparent madness “This is the very ecstasy of love.” These words reflect the inseparable connection between deep emotional excitement and the loss of rationality. We too want to be inspired by this connection and take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy merge.
Concerto in the Italian taste
Semion Gurevich – baroque violin
Agnieszka Skorupa – harpsichord
Duration – about 70 minutes
Program
Tomaso Albinoni – Sonata in A minor for violin and basso continuo op. 6 Nr 6
Johann Sebastian Bach – Sonata in A Major for violin and harpsichord BWV 1015
Antonio Vivaldi – Sonata in C Major for violin and basso continuo RV 4
Johann Sebastian Bach – Sonata in C minor for violin and harpsichord BWV 1017
Johann Sebastian Bach – Italian Concerto in F Major for harpsichord BWV 971
arr. for violin and harpsichord by Duo Agion
Description
Italian composers played an important role in popularising instrumental forms like the sonata and concerto, as well as in the development of violin music. Their works greatly influenced composers across Europe, including Johann Sebastian Bach.
During his time in Weimar (1708-17), Bach immersed himself in the music of Italian masters, studying, copying, and transcribing works by Vivaldi, Albinoni, Caldara, Bonporti, and others. This deep engagement allowed him to blend Italian elements into his own compositional style. A part of the program will be the performance of Albinoni’s sonata with the figured bass, realised by Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber and corrected by Bach.The final piece of the program is Bach’s Italian Concerto, originally composed for solo harpsichord. Duo Agion will present their own arrangement for harpsichord and violin, honouring the Baroque tradition of reinterpreting and transcribing music, a practice that Bach himself embraced.