Sonata I in F Minor, op. 120
I. Allegro appassionato
II. Andante un poco Adagio
III. Allegretto grazioso
IV. Vivace

Sonata II in E-Flat Major, op. 120
I. Allegro amabile
II. Allegro appassionato
III. Andante con moto – Allegro

Scherzo from Frei aber einsam in C minor
for viola and piano WoO 2 (Arrang. by Karl Stierhof and Luca Ranieri from the original for violin)

Luca Ranieri, viola
Andrea Trovato, piano

1 CD, 2025

Tra i pochi brani cameristici brahmsiani che comprendono anche strumenti a fiato si notano le due Sonate per clarinetto e pianoforte op. 120. In queste opere, tuttavia, il compositore prevede l’opzionalità fra clarinetto e viola, tant’è che nel panorama concertistico odierno è quasi più frequente ascoltarle nella versione per viola che in quella per clarinetto.
Lo Scherzo dalla Sonata F.A.E.: faceva parte di una Sonata per violino e pianoforte composta come omaggio collettivo a Joachim da Albert Dietrich (autore del primo movimento), Robert Schumann (Intermezzo e Finale) e Brahms (Scherzo). La sigla F. A. E. si riferisce al motto rei, aber einsam (libero, ma solo), ma corrisponde anche, nella notazione tedesca, a tre note musicali (fa, la, mi) e il motivo così ricavabile viene naturalmente utilizzato come tema in varie parti della Sonata.

Among the few Brahmsian chamber pieces that also include wind instruments are the two Sonatas for clarinet and piano op. 120. In these works, however, there is an optionality between clarinet and viola, and in today’s concert scene, it is almost more common to hear them in the viola than in the clarinet version. The ‘Scherzo’ from the F.A.E. Sonata was part of a Sonata for violin and piano composed as a collective homage to Joachim by Albert Dietrich (author of the first movement), Robert Schumann (Intermezzo and Finale) and Brahms (Scherzo). The abbreviation F. A. E. refers to Joachim’s personal motto frei, aber einsam (free, but alone), but also corresponds to three musical notes and the motif thus derived is naturally used as a theme in various parts of the Sonata.

L'articolo BRAHMS: SONATAS FOR VIOLA & PIANO proviene da Urania Records.

L. v. Beethoven (1770-1827)
Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. January 10,1955
Conductor: William Steinberg

J. Brahms (1833-1897)
Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77

Philharmonia Orchestra. June 23-24,1960
Conductor: Anatole Fistulari

F. Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Philharmonia Orchestra. October 1-3, 1959
Conductor: Leon Barzin

P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. April 6,1959
Conductor: William Steinberg

M. Bruch (1838-1920)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

Philharmonia Orchestra. October 1-3, 1959
Conductor: Leon Barzin

Nathan Milstein, violin

L'articolo MILSTEIN: VIOLIN CONCERTOS proviene da Urania Records.

4 Ballades, Op. 10 (1854)

Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann in F-sharp minor (1854)

2 Sarabandes, W. 5 (1854-1855)

3 Intermezzi, Op. 117 (1892)

4 Pieces for Piano, Op. 119 (1893)

ALESSANDRO MERCANDO, piano

Questo CD è dedicato alla vena più personale di Brahms, a quell’intimismo musicale che dimora in lui dalle opere della giovinezza fino ai lavori dell’estrema vecchiaia. Malgrado la distanza cronologica delle opere proposte, un filo rosso le collega: il gusto per uno stile di scrittura scarno che evoca atmosfere solenni e tragiche; la profonda dolcezza lirica, il senso di un destino incalzante e inesorabile, una certa ironia e scherzosità quasi spiazzanti, ma, soprattutto, una malinconia pacata e rassegnata che ci rivela la sua voce più profonda.

This CD is dedicated to the most personal vein of Brahms, that is, some musical intimacy that has dwelled in his works from his youth to his old age. Despite the great chronological distance between the two groups of works, a thin red thread connects them: the taste for a lean writing style that evokes solemn, tragic atmospheres, the deep lyrical sweetness, the sense of pressing, inexorable fate and above all, a calm, resigned melancholy which reveals his deepest voice.

L'articolo BRAHMS: PIANO WORKS proviene da Urania Records.

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Symphony No.100 in G major, “Military”
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op. 67
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 105
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 485

Hilde Gueden, soprano
Donald Gramm, baritone
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Festival Chorus of Tanglewood
Charles Munch, conductor

Live Rec.ordings:
9 October, 1959 (Haydn)
31 January 1960 (Beethoven)
30 July 1965 (Sibelius)
19 July 1958 (Brahms)

2 CD

L'articolo MUNCH IN CONCERT proviene da Urania Records.

Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68
Symphony No.2 in D major, Op.73
Symphony No.3 in F major, Op.90
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op.98

Wiener Philharmoniker
Rafael Kubelik, conductor

Recordings:
23-24 September, 1957 (No. 1)
4-8 March, 1957 (No. 2)
28-29 September, 1957 (No. 3)
24-25 March, 1956 (No. 4)
Original Productions by Decca

2 CD

L'articolo BRAHMS: THE COMPLETE SYMPHONIES – KUBELIK proviene da Urania Records.

Franz Schubert: Die Forelle – An die Nachtigall – Ständchen – Wanderers Nachtlied I – An die Laute

Robert Schumann: Du Ring an meinem Finger – Frühlingsnacht

Frédéric Chopin: Pierścień – Poseł – Moja Pieszczotka

Gabriel Fauré: Après un rêve – Clair de lune

Richard Wagner: Träume – Gretchen am Spinnrade

Johannes Brahms: Von ewiger Liebe – Die Mainacht – Mädchenlied – Wiegenlied

Giacomo Puccini: Sogno d’or

Manuel de Falla: Nana – Seguidilla – El Paño moruno

Maurice Ravel: Chanson Espagnole

Gioachino Rossini: Canzonetta Spagnuola

VALENTINA PENNINO, SOPRANO

ANNIBALE REBAUDENGO, PIANO

L'articolo TRÄUME, THE GOLDEN SONGS proviene da Urania Records.

Piano COncerto No. 1

Piano COncerto No. 2

16 Waltzes, Op. 39

3 Waltzes, Op. 39

2 Ballades Op. 10 Nos. 1 & 2

Variations on an Original Theme Op. 21/1

Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35

Scherzo Op. 4

Recordings; 1929/1939

2 CD

L'articolo BACKHAUS PLAYS BRAHMS proviene da Urania Records.

J. BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op 15

C.M. VON WEBER: Konzertstück in F minor, Op. 79

L. VAN BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No, 2 in B, Op. 19

32 Variations, WoO 80

RICHARD STRAUSS: Burleske for Piano & Orchestra

Recorded: 1951-1962

GLENN GOULD, piano

2 CD

L'articolo PIANO CONCERTOS – GLENN GOULD proviene da Urania Records.

Symphony No. 2

Schicksalslied, Op. 54

Berliner Philharmoniker (1950) – Los Angeles Philhamonic (1947)

L'articolo WALTER CONDUCTS BRAHMS proviene da Urania Records.

CONCERTOS FOR VIOLIN – NATHAN MILSTEIN

BEETHOVEN

Violin Concerto in D, op. 61

BRAHMS

Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77

MENDELSSOHN

Violin COncerto in E Minor, Op. 64

TCHAIKOVSKY

Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35

BRUCH

Violin Concerto No. 1 n G Minor, Op. 26

NATHAN MILSTEIN, 1955/1960

L'articolo CONCERTOS FOR VIOLIN – NATHAN MILSTEIN proviene da Urania Records.