Brahms himself foresaw the viola as an alternative to the clarinet for his Trio Op. 114, similar to his Horn Trio, and the work was tried out in both versions before its premiere.
Compositional Technique
The first bars of Brahms' F Minor Sonata, Op. 120, contain a quote from Bach's chorale 'O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden', and the viola's entry includes motifs from Brahms' own 4th Symphony.
Performer Biography
Andreas Willwohl, the violist on this recording, is a professor at Nuremberg University of Music, a member of the Mandelring Quartet, and plays a viola by Stefan Peter Greiner with a Dominique Peccatte bow.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Brahms intended the Op. 120 sonatas to be playable on both viola and clarinet, recognizing the timbral affinity between the two instruments, which both resemble the human contralto voice.
Performer Biography
Daniel Heide, the pianist on this recording, is a sought-after vocal accompanist and chamber musician, and is the founder and artistic director of 'Der lyrische Salon', a vocal recital series at Ettersburg Castle.
Performer Biography
Isang Enders, the cellist on this recording, was Principal Cello of the Dresden Staatskapelle before going freelance and plays on a 1840 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello, supported by the Francesco Von Mendelssohn Fund.
Composition History
The clarinetist and violist Richard Mühlfeld played a crucial role in inspiring Brahms to compose again in his later years.
