Deep Slavic emotion and riveting virtuosity - this is what characterises many compositions by Rodion Shchedrin. Even though he has been a cosmopolitan for a long time, the Moscow-born Shchedrin has remained an original Russian composer whose bond with Russian musical folklore and poetry has never been severed. This piece for violin and piano, which will be performed for the first time by the Greek world-class violinist Leonidas Kavakos in London, is an homage to Joseph Haydn to mark his special anniversary. As the Russian played a significant role in Viennese Classicism, it is not surprising that Shchedrin refers to this tradition in his piece.