Johannes Brahms - Violin Sonatas (Augustin Dumay; Maria João Pires)

Information

Composer: Johannes Brahms

1. Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78: 1. Vivace, ma non troppo
2. Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78: 2. Adagio
3. Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78: 3. Allegro molto moderato
4. Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100: 1. Allegro amabile
5. Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100: 2. Andante tranquillo - Vivace - Andante - Vivace di più - Andante vivace
6. Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100: 3. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andante)
7. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108: 1. Allegro
8. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108: 2. Adagio
9. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108: 3. Un poco presto e con sentimento
10. Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108: 4. Presto agitato

Augustin Dumay, violin
Maria João Pires, piano

Date: 1991
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4358002

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Review

I had not realized that there are already 19 versions of the three Brahms violin sonatas currently available. Many of these, of course are extremely good. Nevertheless, Dumay and Pires easily deserve to be considered amongst the best, for their playing is consistently mature, stylistically homogeneous and, above all, refined.

They never waste a note of the music, and yet it is always allowed to unfurl naturally. A reflective eloquence at the opening of the G major Sonata sets the mood for the entire CD. Pires contributes many lovely delicate touches and there is great breadth to her phrasing when this is required. She reminds us that she should not be labelled purely as a Mozart player.

The first movement of the A major work may be slightly slack in its cohesiveness, but in the Andante tranquillo that follows one realizes that the duo sees Brahms above all else as a lyrical dreamer. Only in the D minor Sonata does one feel the darkly intense aspect of the composer's character and here the Presto agitato finale is everything it should be in terms of tempo and storminess.

The recorded sound is pleasant on the ear, without being ideal. The piano tone is a bit muffled and wanting in colour; this is especially apparent when the two instruments are playing together. But overall this is a release of considerable distinction.

-- James Methuen-Campbell, Gramophone

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: *****
http://www.amazon.com/Violin-Sonatas-J-Brahms/dp/B000001GGS

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Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer and pianist. In his lifetime, Brahms's popularity and influence were considerable. Brahms composed for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, and voice and chorus. Many of his works have become staples of the modern concert repertoire. An uncompromising perfectionist, Brahms destroyed some of his works and left others unpublished. Brahms is often considered both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Classical masters, with a highly romantic nature embedded within.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Brahms

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Augustin Dumay (born 17 January 1949) is a French violinist and conductor from Paris. His international career took off when Dumay was invited as a soloist to appear with Yo-Yo Ma in Paris by Herbert von Karajan. He subsequently performed regularly with the world’s finest orchestras, conductors and chamber musicians. Over the last ten years, Dumay has also become very active as a conductor, both on stage and on disc. His discography is available on the Warner, Deutsche Grammophon and Onyx Classics labels, and have won many awards for him such as Gramophon Award, Grammy and Victoires de la Musique.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustin_Dumay

http://augustindumay.com/

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Maria João Pires (born 23 July 1944 in Lisbon) is a Portuguese classical pianist. Pires studied with Campos Coelho in Lisbon, Rosl Schmidt in Munich, and Karl Engel in Hannover. International fame came in 1970, when she won the Beethoven Bicentennial Competition in Brussels. Subsequently she performed with major orchestras in Europe, America, Canada, Israel and Japan, as a solo artist and also in chamber music. Her many successful recordings include performances of Beethoven's and Mozart's sonatas. Her recordings of the Chopin nocturnes was praised by Gramophone magazine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Jo%C3%A3o_Pires

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