This album was recorded in Cologne, Germany, in December 2016, and is a production of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Cologne, licensed by WDR mediagroup GmbH.
Composition History
Brahms first worked on a string quintet between 1861 and 1863, but harsh criticism from his friend Joseph Joachim led him to rewrite it as the Piano Quintet Op. 34 and destroy the original score.
Performer Biography
Ye Wu, the first violinist on this recording, is a Chinese violinist who is the leader of the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne since 2014 and has won several international violin competitions.
Compositional Technique
Brahms's string quintets, Op. 88 and Op. 111, feature a doubled viola to emphasize the alto and tenor registers, reflecting his preference for these sound regions.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Johannes Brahms considered chamber music the most suitable area to test his skills as a composer, with writing for small ensembles being a 'leitmotiv' throughout his work.
Compositional Technique
Robert Schumann, a German composer and influential music critic, noted in 1838 that the addition of a second viola dramatically changes the string ensemble's effect, making it sound like a 'whole ensemble of musicians'.
Historical Context
Brahms's chamber music was supported by a conservative social class in Germany and Austria, who cultivated cultural heritage through house concerts with musician friends and listeners.
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