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Nimbus

Brahms: Concerto for violin and cello, Op. 102 in A minor &

$23.99

Details

Composer
Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Artist
Leos Cepicky, Michal Kanka, Komorni filharmonie Pardubice
Format
CD
Label
Nimbus
Released
Jan 02, 2026
Catalog #
NI6463
UPC
0710357646324

About

Towards the end of his life, Johannes Brahms declared more than once that he was retiring from composing - luckily for us, he never quite followed through. Not because he had run out of inspiration - Brahms was at the height of his powers - but because he felt a growing pull toward the intimacy of chamber music, piano pieces, and songs, which brought him deeper personal satisfaction than grand orchestral forms. Still, Brahms returned once more to orchestral writing in 1887 with the Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102 - his last orchestral work. The reason was personal: a gesture of reconciliation toward his estranged friend, the great violinist Joseph Joachim. This concerto, written for Joachim and cellist Robert Hausmann, symbolises renewed harmony - not just musically, but emotionally. The two solo instruments engage in a rich, expressive dialogue throughout. Mozart wrote his Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major for violin and viola in the summer of 1779 - a true synthesis of symphony and concerto. This work is expansive and noble in character, full of brilliant writing for both soloists. Mozart, himself an accomplished violinist, clearly understood how to write for the instrument with flair and sensitivity. One striking feature of the work is that the viola part is written in D major, requiring the instrument to be tuned a semitone higher (a practice known as scordatura). Common in the Baroque era, scordatura was still occasionally used in Mozart's time to achieve a brighter, more penetrating sound. The autograph of the piece is lost; only later copies have survived - except for the original drafts of the cadenzas. On this recording, the viola part is performed by a cellist, playing in the original viola position without octave transposition. © Jaromír Havlík

Tracklist 6 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro 17:15
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    17:15
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek
  2. 2 II. Andante 07:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    07:23
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek
  3. 3 III. Vivace non troppo 09:07
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Vivace non troppo
    Duration
    09:07
    Composer
    Johannes Brahms
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek
  4. 4 I. Allegro maestoso 13:35
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro maestoso
    Duration
    13:35
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek
  5. 5 II. Andante 11:05
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Andante
    Duration
    11:05
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek
  6. 6 III. Presto 06:55
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Presto
    Duration
    06:55
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Leoš Čepický, Michal Kaňka
    Ensemble
    Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice
    Conductor
    Stanislav Vavřínek