Chamber music rarities by Schumann and Brahms on historical instruments
Robert Schumann: Andante and Variations for two pianos, two violoncellos and horn, op. 46
Johannes Brahms: Trio for horn, violin and violoncello, op. 40
Clara Schumann: 3 Romances
In response to his encounter with the young Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann wrote his famous article “Neue Bahnen” in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1853, in which he predicted a great future for the almost twenty-year-old Brahms. A close friendship developed between the Schumann couple and the “newcomer”; Clara was even a “life companion” of sorts for Brahms. We emphasise Clara’s still underestimated importance as a composer with her three romances. Compositions by the Schumann-Brahms triumvirate are on the programme for this concert. An absolute rarity is Robert’s Opus 46 with an extremely unconventional instrumentation – this performance is possibly the first ever in recent times on period instruments. Brahms’ horn trio, of which György Ligeti said that it “floats in musical heaven as an unrivalled example of this chamber music genre”, is actually based on the sonority and specific possibilities of the natural horn, which the composer particularly loved. However, it is rarely played on this instrument. Nikolaus Walch takes up this challenge, supported by accomplished chamber music partners.
Silvia Iberer-Walch (violin)
Nikolaus Walch (natural horn)
Michael Schöch (fortepiano)
and others