Brahms & Beethoven: Chamber Works (Live in Aldeburgh, England, 1973)

Featuring

Manoug Parikian
Erling Blöndal Bengtsson
Norman del Mar
George Malcolm
English Chamber Orchestra
Johannes Brahms

Ludwig van Beethoven

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Performer Biography

Erling Blöndal Bengtsson, the cellist on this recording, has a public statue in his memory outside Reykjavík's 'Harpa' concert hall, indicating his high esteem in Iceland.

Performer Biography

Manoug Parikian, the violinist, was a leading artist of his generation, known for his pure tone and polished technique, and had extensive connections with the Aldeburgh Festival.

Composition History

Brahms's Double Concerto was written in 1887, possibly to reconcile with Hungarian virtuoso violinist Joachim, and also to fulfill a promise to cellist Robert Hausmann.

Performer Biography

George Malcolm, the pianist, was internationally renowned as a virtuoso harpsichordist and was pre-eminent in British musical life for his versatility across piano, harpsichord, and organ.

Recording & Production

This album is sourced from an amateur off-air recording of a 1973 BBC broadcast from the Aldeburgh Festival, discovered in the British Library.

Compositional Technique

In Brahms's Double Concerto, the violin and cello often play together, creating the impression of a 'giant eight-stringed instrument' rather than alternating solos.

Composition History

Beethoven's Triple Concerto, composed around 1803-4, was intended for his patron and piano pupil Archduke Rudolph, who was a player of modest ability, hence the less demanding piano part.