Violin Sonatas [HL:51481566]

Brahms early on engaged with the violin sonata genre. As early as 1853 he wrote a sonata in a minor, which - like so many other youthful works of this self-critical composer - no longer survives. Thus the G-major sonata op. 78, written in 1878/79, is now counted as his first contribution to the genre; it has the nickname “Regenlied Sonata” (literally “rain-song sonata”) because of the quotation from a song that appears in the finale. In summer 1886 Brahms composed, almost simultaneously, the two sonatas op. 100 and 108. All three works now have a firm place in the violinistic canon.

We round off our volume with the Scherzo in c minor that Brahms contributed to the so-called “F.A.E Sonata”, which he composed together with Robert Schumann and Albert Dietrich as a gift for violinist Joseph Joachim in 1853. With its stark contrast between the turbulent allegro and the emotional più moderato part, his scherzo has become a popular bravura and encore piece.

The present new edition is based on the New Brahms Complete Edition, and offers a musical text and commentary that have been revised according to the latest research. The fingering is by respective masters of their instruments Frank Peter Zimmermann and Martin Helmchen.