Brahms: The Complete Sonatas For Violin and Piano - 'alla zingarese' Barnabás Kelemen & János Balázs

• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78:
• 1 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78, I. Vivace ma non troppo 11:15
• 2 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78, II. Adagio 07:53
• 3 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78, III. Allegro molto moderato 08:52
• Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100:
• 4 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, I. Allegro amabile 08:50
• 5 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, II. Andante tranquillo 06:25
• 6 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 100, III. Allegretto grazioso 06:20
• Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108:
• 7 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, I. Allegro 08:41
• 8 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, II. Adagio 04:39
• 9 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, III.Un poco presto e con sentimento 02:54
• 10 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108, IV. Presto agitato 05:59
• Scherzo in C Minor for Violin and Piano:
• 11 Brahms: Scherzo in C Minor for Violin and Piano (from the FAE-Sonata) 05:55
• Hungarian Dance No. 1:
• 12 Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 (arr. János Balázs) 03:36
• Hungarian Dance No. 5:
• 13 Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 (arr. János Balázs) 02:58
• Total Runtime 01:24:17

Info for Brahms: The Complete Sonatas For Violin and Piano - 'alla zingarese'

"We are at an imaginary salon concert at the end of the 19th century. There were 150 piano factories in Budapest and 6-700 in Vienna in the second half of the 19th century. And everywhere there were concerts in the homes of the bourgeoisie. So we invite you to such a concert, which we happen to be recording.

There was a sociability that I think is very much missing in today's society. To get together, think, listen to the music and then have a little chat. And Brahms was great fan of salon musicians and he played a lot in salons. I'd talk a bit about Brahms and gypsy music. Already in the G major sonata, you can feel in many places the way he related to gypsy music. Especially to gypsy music in Hungary. He was famous for coming to Budapest incognito and he had a rented flat in Budapest. Brahms liked to go to restaurants and hotels in Budapest and listen to gypsy music. Now let Budapest, the end of the 19th century, Johannes Brahms appear before you!" (excerpt from the pre-concert conversation between Barnabás Kelemen, János Balázs)

Barnabás Kelemen, violin (Joseph Guarnerius ‘del Gesu’, Cremona 1742, Ex Dénes Kovács, Hungarian state collection)
János Balázs, piano (Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano)

Barnabás Kelemen
has established himself as one of the leading and most versatile artist of his generation.

An artist of “innate musicality” with a technical execution that belongs “only to the greatest” (The Guardian) “…a penchant for fiery display and a lyricism suited to the stage, Barnabás Kelemen Hungarian soloist met the composer’s demands unflappably, stirring a rousing ovation” as the soloist of the American Symphony Orchestra in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. (New York Times)

János Balázs
“If you have heard János Balázs perform, you must have experienced a compelling and completely unique concert. He renders a 21st-century interpretation of classical music with spell-binding and superior technic and has a singular knack for capturing the audience. By doing so, he blurs the distance between the performer and his listener. His thematically unparallelled concerts and programme repertoire reach out to crowds – also the younger generations-, which he undertakes solely for the popularisation of classical music.”

He is keen to demonstrate his improvisation skills in various areas beyond the classical stage, such as jazz, world music, or folk music, which is always imbued with classical music’s values and the 20th-century tradition of improvisation.

Booklet for Brahms: The Complete Sonatas For Violin and Piano - 'alla zingarese'