Lawrence Power and Simon Crawford-Phillips. Brahms Sonatas

REPERTOIRE

Johannes Brahms:
Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100 (1886) 19′
Viola Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op 120 (1894) 23′
Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 (1879) 26′
Viola Sonata in No 2 in E flat major, Op 120 (1894) 23′
Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op 108 (1886-1888) 21′

ARTISTS

Lawrence Power, viola
Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano

Programme

The first guest in this season’s Intocables series will be English violist Lawrence Power, a musician who has succeeded like few others in dignifying the viola as a solo instrument. A staunch advocate of new music, Power’s virtuosity and ability to capture the subtleties hidden in the most complex works has inspired numerous contemporary composers. In this concert, he takes on the complete set of Brahms sonatas for violin and viola in a demonstration of soloistic strength, which, in turn, owing to the nature of the selected works, will allow him to express himself in an unhurried and intimate tessitura. The three violin sonatas, which occupy an undisputed place in the instrument’s canonical repertoire, cannot be understood without Brahms’ friendship with violinist Joseph Joachim, to whom he dedicated many of his works. Both viola sonatas, originally composed for clarinet, convey autumnal colours that evoke nostalgia and sweetness, reflecting the composer’s last years of life.