The Duo for violin and viola was written in Rio in 1946.Villa-Lobos wrote relatively little in the early years of the Second World War. However in the happier years from 1944 to 1946 he wrote this duo, a string trio andthree quartets, not to mention two symphonies, an opera, a piano concerto and a host of less foraml works of every kind. The duo was given its first performance in New York during February 1948, by Lillian and Joseph Fuchs.