Amazing pieces of classical music - 34
Johannes Brahms' so-called "Double Concerto" in A minor, Op. 102, a concerto for violin, cello and orchestra composed in 1887 as his last work for orchestra, performed by Josef Suk (violin) and André Navarra (cello) with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Karel Ančerl in Prague, October 1963.
Some consider that the recording stands solid as a rock. Personally, I don't like that particular comparison because there are indeed many kinds of rock, but even Dave Hurwitz observed that "in terms of musicality and faithfulness to the composer’s intentions, this performance is outstanding by any measure". Especially because the last movement has the refreshing sound of the dance rather than anything too dramatic.
It's also somewhat ironic that I actually posted Brahms' Double Concerto after Beethoven's Triple Concerto because even the reason why the first came into existance doesn't link to individual conduct, or rather how to keep oneself professional in difficult times, but had all to do with Brahms wanting to create a piece for instruments that he had anxiety about as a gesture of reconciliation towards a friend.
Not surprising, the actual reception of the work wasn't at all favourable with friends like Clara Schuman considering the piece "not brilliant for the instruments" and critics like Richard Specht even describing it as "one of Brahms' most inapproachable and joyless compositions". It's nowadays, however, recognised as a brilliant, late-career work in the sense of that's a splendid return to the classical concerto ideal.
Suk's violin play has a typically small but bright tone quality, a similar timbre as that of the violin section made up by his countrymen in the orchestra, which is unusually bright and almost grainy in texture. That doesn't apply to the rest of the strings which has full tone and depth. Moreover, Navarra's cello sound is full with realistic bite so that the Ančerl interpretation has a really good forward pace without any suggestion of undue haste
[media=https://youtu.be/yIEnlY76jGA]
Some consider that the recording stands solid as a rock. Personally, I don't like that particular comparison because there are indeed many kinds of rock, but even Dave Hurwitz observed that "in terms of musicality and faithfulness to the composer’s intentions, this performance is outstanding by any measure". Especially because the last movement has the refreshing sound of the dance rather than anything too dramatic.
It's also somewhat ironic that I actually posted Brahms' Double Concerto after Beethoven's Triple Concerto because even the reason why the first came into existance doesn't link to individual conduct, or rather how to keep oneself professional in difficult times, but had all to do with Brahms wanting to create a piece for instruments that he had anxiety about as a gesture of reconciliation towards a friend.
Not surprising, the actual reception of the work wasn't at all favourable with friends like Clara Schuman considering the piece "not brilliant for the instruments" and critics like Richard Specht even describing it as "one of Brahms' most inapproachable and joyless compositions". It's nowadays, however, recognised as a brilliant, late-career work in the sense of that's a splendid return to the classical concerto ideal.
Suk's violin play has a typically small but bright tone quality, a similar timbre as that of the violin section made up by his countrymen in the orchestra, which is unusually bright and almost grainy in texture. That doesn't apply to the rest of the strings which has full tone and depth. Moreover, Navarra's cello sound is full with realistic bite so that the Ančerl interpretation has a really good forward pace without any suggestion of undue haste
[media=https://youtu.be/yIEnlY76jGA]
