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Sonata for Pianoforte and Cello

Pieter Wispelwey, Paul Komen

Johannes Brahms

SKU: 5493

Year of release: 1993

opus 38 in e minor 25:29
1. Allegro non troppo Johannes Brahms 13:59
2. Allegretto quasi Menuetto Johannes Brahms 05:17
3. Allegro Johannes Brahms 06:12
opus 99 in F Major 27:23
4. Allegro vivace Johannes Brahms 09:03
5. Adagio affettuoso Johannes Brahms 06:56
6. Allegro passionato Johannes Brahms 06:56
7. Allegro molto Johannes Brahms 04:26
Total time: 52:52

About this album

Why is it that so many classical music listeners today often find the music of Johannes Brahms heavy and cumbersome? Is it possible that today’s instruments and the way we play them affect our judgement of his music? The answers to both these questions are intertwined and probably intimately related to the differences between Brahms’ century and our own as regards the aesthetics of composers and the instruments used in the realization of their musical works. This is also complicated by the fact that during this time music developed in what I would call a disjunctly progressive fashion in which various aspects of musical aesthetics developed at different rates, due to artistic, social, financial and even political reasons….

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Reviews

BBC magazine

(...) Pieter Wispelwey's performance is transparently cohesive, and has surprising architectural strength. (...)

De Concertzender

(...) Zo kleurrijk en uitgebalanceerd hoort men Brahms zelden (...)

NRC/Handelsblad

(...) En wie Wispelwey en Komen hoort, kan niet anders dan erg opgewonden raken van Brahms (...)

In Tune

(...) It is quite surprising how utterly right the music sounds on these instruments. (...) (...) This is splendid, thoughtful, dedicated playing on a high level. Komen's partnership is perfect. (...) (...) This is a sensational duo, not just two musicians playing at the same time. (...) (...) As usual Channel's loving sound is a wonder. (...)

Fonoforum

(...) In entspannter Spielhaltung bieten die Interpreten eine stimmige Alternative zu romantischer überfrachtung und emotionalem überdruck. (...)

Telegraaf

(...) Wispelwey kan zich meten met de grootste cellisten (...): een lyrische en uiterst gedistingeerde Brahms. De eerste cellotonen van opus 38 voel je in de onderbuik (...)

Gazet van Antwerpen

(...) Romantiek betekent voor hem oprechte expressiviteit die je best niet ontsiert met opgeblazen gedoe en andere maniërismen (...)

Gramophone

(...) I don't think they'd disappoint whatever instruments they played - provided they were accorded the exceptionally truthful, lifelike reproduction they get here. (...)

The Washington Post

(...) is played with technical assurance and generates the right atmosphere for these moddy pieces. (...)

Fonoforum

(...) Das Duo liefert den Beweis, daß auch ohne steten Vibratogebrauch und die Klangwucht eines modernes Steinway eine expressive, klanglich und dynamisch subtil abgestufte Darstellung möglich ist. (...)

Ecouter Voir

(...) Wispelwey est ici un musicien formidable , dont le phrasé est toujours extriemement bien conduit et expressif, le son toujours riche et plein; et Komen est précis, tant comme soutien que comme duettiste.

François Sarhan

(...) Wispelwey est un musicien formidable, dont le phrasé est toujours extrêmement bien conduit et expressief, le son toujours riche et plein, et Komen est précis, tant comme soutien que comme duettiste(...)

Technical Specifications

Digital To Analog ConverterSony
Mastering EquimentSony digital Editor 3000
Mastering EngineerBert van der Wolf
Mixing ConsoleRens Heijnis Custom made
MicrophonesBruel & Kjaer, Schoeps
Recording FormatPCM 44.1
Analog To Digital ConverterdCS900
Recording DateSeptember 1992
Recording LocationResnswoude - The Netherlands
EditingBert van der Wolf
Recording EngineerBert van der Wolf
ProducerTed Diehl