HY BRID MU

LTICHANNEL (1833 – 1897) in D, Op. 77 1 Allegro non troppo (: ) 23. 09 2 Adagio 9. 27 3 Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace –Poco più presto 7. 55 for Violin and in A minor, Op. 102 4 Allegro 16. 05 5 Andante 7. 36 6 Vivace non troppo – Poco meno allegro – Tempo I 8. 16

Julia Fischer - violin Daniel Müller-Schott - cello (Double Concerto) Netherlands Philharmonic Amsterdam conducted by Yakov Kreizberg

Recording venue: Yakult Hall, Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam (December 2006, ; December 2005, Double Concerto) Executive Producer: Job Maarse Recording Producers: Sebastian Stein (Violin Concerto), Job Maarse (Double Concerto) Balance Engineer: Jean-Marie Geijsen Recording Engineers: Roger de Schot (Violin Concerto), Sebastian Stein (Double Concerto) Editing: Sebastian Stein

Total playing-time: 72. 59

Biographien auf Deutsch und Französisch finden Sie auf unserer Webseite. Pour les versions allemande et française des biographies, veuillez consulter notre site. www.pentatonemusic.com “I have never before come across such a major talent. He is years “Frei, aber einsam” ahead of me.” “Frei, aber froh” hus spoke the Hungarian violinist Tand Joseph Joachim of his colleague Johannes Brahms, who was his junior by two years. Joachim and Brahms had met each other in in 1853, and from that moment onwards they became insep- arable. Not only did they give many concerts together, but during 1853 and 1854 Brahms even lived in Joachim’s household for some time. In a letter to his girlfriend , dated October 20, 1854, Joachim gives a detailed characterization of his friend. He writes the following: “Brahms is the most confirmed egotist that one can imagine, although he is not aware of it himself as, thanks to his sanguine nature, everything truly pours forth from his quill without effort in the most direct act of genius – however, now and then with a lack of consideration (not with a lack of support, as that would be all right with me!) that hurts, as it shows a lack of culture.” This sounds as if Joachim considered Brahms to be an egocentric clodhopper, but on the Joseph Joachim other hand, he genuinely admired the ideals for which Brahms strove, with- vice versa – the person for whom art out making any compromises: “All he is not a random matter to be donned cares about is being undisturbed in and removed like a piece of jewellery.” the bliss he encounters in his music, A conspicuous fact is that Joachim in his belief in searching for a higher, signed most of these aphorisms with fantastic world – and the way he man- the initials f.a.e., which he sometimes ages to avoid all unhealthy emotions also jotted down as notes. and imagined grief of others is the The abbreviation “f.a.e.” stands true work of a genius – in that way, for Joachim’s motto, “frei, aber ein- he is truly healthy, just as his carefree sam” (= free, but lonely), which approach to life itself is highly appeal- Brahms also liked to use. Thus he ing, yea, even magnificent.” wrote as follows to Joachim in 1888: At that time, Brahms was an avid “For me, f.a.e. remains a symbol, and I reader of romantic literature and a fer- am happy to bless it, in spite of every- vent supporter of the romantic theory thing.” Furthermore, Brahms also used of art. For instance, he read his own motto which, in view of his and , and jotted down various light-hearted character (as described interesting statements by these writ- by Joachim), can be considered char- ers in a little notebook which he had acteristic of him: f.a.f: “frei, aber froh” entitled “Schatzkästlein des jungen (= free, but happy). Kreislers” (= the little treasure trove As a symbol, f.a.e. attained almost of the young Kreisler), with a nod to a cult status. Thus a private concert the fantasy figure from Schumann’s took place on October 28, 1853 in the Davidsbund. Joseph Joachim also house of Robert and , tended to write a short note in this during which a surprise was sprung book every so often, mostly in the form on Joachim: he was presented with a of an aphorism. The following apho- violin sonata based on the motto f.a.e., rism about the relationship between which had been especially composed man and artist is very striking: “Only for him jointly by , that person is a complete artist, for and Johannes Brahms. whom life intervenes to glorify art, and In fact, Brahms wrote almost all his violin works for Joachim, and also Joseph Joachim gave the first perform- regularly asked advice of the violin vir- ance of Brahms’ new Violin Concerto tuoso, as he himself did not play this at the , with the instrument. In his turn, Joachim had composer himself . repeatedly urged Brahms to compose Brahms’ Violin Concerto most a violin concerto for him. However, he certainly deserves the qualification of made it clear that he did not wish the a symphonic concerto; one need only work to be written in the style of the to listen to the orchestral introduction Romantic virtuoso : it was to of no less than 90 bars! Nevertheless, be a symphonic concerto to continue in it still offers plenty of room to demon- the line of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. strate virtuoso playing – especially in (Thanks to Joachim’s performances, the cadenza, which Brahms had left to this concert was accepted at the time the fantasy of Joachim, and in the finale, as standard concert repertoire). During which is indebted to the Hungarian the summer of 1878, spent as usual in salon style so popular in Austria during the Austrian village of Pörtschach am the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, Wörthersee, Brahms wrote a concerto that did not manage to protect the for violin and orchestra, keeping in work against critics who held other mind the performance style of his expectations of solo concertos. Hans friend. In August, he sent Joachim a von Bülow wrote the following: “Max couple of “violin passages to try out”. Bruch’s Violin Concerto in G is for the The latter reacted enthusiastically, and violin, but Brahms’s Concerto is clearly soon the passages expanded into against it.” And according to various the finale of the Violin Concerto in D. reports, , the great Brahms worked like a man possessed. Spanish violin virtuoso decided against At a certain point, the two middle move- including the concerto in his reper- ments of the originally four-movement toire, as he refused to stand by with concerto disappeared into the waste- the violin idle in his hands to listen to paper basket and were replaced by the breathtakingly beautiful solo the Adagio; the middle movement as which introduces the slow movement. we know it now. On January 1, 1879 But when Brahms took the side of Joachim’s wife, the mezzo-soprano Amalie Schneeweiss, during divorce procedures in 1880, the relationship between Brahms and Joachim cooled off considerably. Clara Schumann reports that the two friends even refused to speak to one another for a number of years, although Joachim continued to perform Brahms’ music. In order to break through this impasse, Brahms wrote his Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in the summer of 1887, hoping that Joachim would take on the violin part. Indeed, that turned out to be the case: on October 18 that year, the first per- formance of the Double Concerto took place in Cologne, featuring Joseph Joachim on the violin, Robert Hausman on the cello, and Brahms as conduc- allusions to the Violin Concerto in A tor. Joachim was grateful for Brahms’ minor by Giovanni Battista Viotti: this gesture and the rift between the two was one of Joachim’s favourite show- friends was repaired. Clara Schumann pieces, of which Brahms was also very writes as follows: “This concerto is as it fond. But there is more. The thematic were a work of reconciliation - Joachim material of the first movement is based and Brahms are now talking to each on the f.a.e motif. When the soloists other again for the first time in years.” enter with a cadenza-like passage on The Double Concerto contains top of the main theme, it is the solo a good many musical references to violin that opens with the notes f.e.a. the friendship between Joachim and (an inversion, which was also often Brahms. Thus it contains a number of employed by Joachim). Finally, at the end of the first movement, following have written it, had I been enjoying life many dialogues between the solo so exuberantly along the Rhine and in instruments, there is a long passage Berchtesgaden.” in which both soloists play in thirds: Ronald Vermeulen perhaps a musical symbol for the English translation: Fiona J. Stroker-Gale rediscovered friendship? “Frei, aber einsam” (= free, but lonely): the motto for the friendship between Brahms and Joachim, two ulia Fischer is ranked as one of the great masters who were connected by Jleading violinists of the day, capti- their capricious approach to life. Just vating audiences world-wide with her as Joachim never again felt any desire music. She was born in Munich in 1983, to commit himself to another woman of German-Slovak parents, and began after the break-up of his marriage, her musical training at just four years Brahms never even got married. Just old. At nine, she began receiving les- before beginning work on his Double sons from the renowned violin teacher Concerto, he wrote as follows to his Ana Chumachenco. In 2006, she was ‘confidante’ Clara Schumann: “I need appointed professor at the “Hochschule absolute solitude, not just in order to für Musik und Darstellende Kunst” in achieve my very best, but also sim- Frankfurt am Main. ply to think my own thoughts. That Winning the international Yehudi is my nature. However, on the other Menuhin Competition in 1995, with the hand, it is also very easy to explain: great violinist himself conducting, was after all, someone who, like myself, a significant milestone in her lightning enjoys life and art, is only too eager career. The following year, she won the to enjoy both – and to forget all the 8th Eurovision Competition for Young rest. Perhaps it is also the most cor- Instrumentalists. Since then, Julia rect and sensible thing to do. But right Fischer has performed with reputed now, with a new, major work in front conductors and leading of me, I am still quite happy about it, throughout the world. Many of her and have to say to myself: I would not concerts have been recorded for and/or broadcast live on radio and television. first appearance at the London PROMS Julia Fischer receives regular invi- in summer 2008. Julia Fischer also tations from the Pittsburgh forms a chamber-music duo with Yakov Orchestra, the National Symphony Kreizberg at the : they will first Orchestra in Washington D.C., the perform as a duo in May 2007 in recital and the New in Valencia. Furthermore, Julia Fischer York Philharmonic Orchestra, among has so far recorded all her CDs with others, to perform in the USA. She also orchestral music together with Maestro plays with the leading European orches- Kreizberg. tras, including the Symphonic, Other major conductors with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the whom Julia Fischer has performed Staatskapelle Dresden and the London include: Lorin Maazel, Christoph Philharmonic Orchestra. She has an Eschenbach, Yuri Temirkanov, Sir especially close relationship with the Neville Marriner, David Zinman, Jun Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Märkl, Ruben Gazarian, Emmanuel which she first led in January 2006 dur- Krivine and . ing a tour of , with which she Julia Fischer is an ardent cham- made history later on in the autumn, ber musician, and performs regularly performing in Frankfurt to celebrate with Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Daniel the 25th Anniversary of the reopening Müller-Schott, among others. She of the Alte Oper. Another major tour receives invitations to play at the of Germany, Austria and the Benelux major international festivals, such as is planned for 2009, to celebrate the London’s Mostly Mozart Festival, the 50th Anniversary of the foundation of Aspen Music Festival, the Ravinia the Academy. Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, Julia Fischer was appointed the St. Petersburg Winter Festival, the Artist in Residence at the Netherlands Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and Philharmonic Orchestra, under Chief the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, Conductor Yakov Kreizberg, for the where she was awarded the Soloist 2006/2007 season. Further joint projects Prize in 1997. with Maestro Kreizberg include her In 2004, her first CD was released by - the label for which also been concentrating on contempo- Julia Fischer records exclusively rary music. As a consequence, she has - entitled Russian Violin Concertos already given the first performance of with the Russian National Orchestra Matthias Pintscher’s Piano Trio together (under Yakov Kreizberg), which was with Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Daniel awarded the Echo Klassik 2005. Her Müller-Schott. During the 2006-2007 latest recording - Tchaikovsky’s Violin season, she is performing Maazel’s Concerto - was released in November Violin Concerto, accompanied by the 2006, with the same orchestra and Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor. All CD releases of the as well as Nicholas Maw’s Violin young violinist have received major Concerto at the Aspen Music Festival. recognition and awards – many have Julia Fischer plays on an Italian received a Diapason d’Or as well as a violin made by Giovanni Battista Choc from the Monde de la Musique. Guadagnini, dating from 1750. Her recording of Bach’s Sonatas and www.juliafischer.com Partitas for Solo Violin was even voted the BBC Music Magazine Award Daniel Müller-Schott as “Best Newcomer 2006” and the “A great cellist, like a great tenor, Diapason d’Or de l’Année. Meanwhile, should sound like no-one else. I PentaTone has released the second bring Pablo Casals and Mstislav CD of Mozart Violin Concertos featur- Rostropovich up in order to sug- ing Julia Fischer with the Netherlands gest that young Daniel Müller- Chamber Orchestra; Piano Trios by Schott may soon be in their league.” Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, together with Octavio Roca, The Miami Herald Daniel Müller-Schott and Jonathan Gilad; and the Brahms Violin Concerto n only a few years, Daniel Müller- and Double Concerto, together with ISchott has succeeded in establish- Daniel Müller-Schott. Further record- ing himself throughout the world as ings are soon to be added to her one of the supreme cellists. With his discography. sure sense of style and enormous Most recently, Julia Fischer has musical maturity, he opens up new paths for his audiences, including es as a soloist in many European ones leading to works already thought countries as well as in the United to be well-known. He is constantly States, Canada and South-East Asia. searching for both new and rare old In August 2006, Daniel Müller-Schott works with which he can extend his will be making his first appear- repertoire on the cello, including with ance at the Salzburger Festspiele his own adaptations, and in particular with an evening of . performances of the music of the 20th Recitals, solo evenings and trio and 21st centuries. concerts will also be taking him to As a soloist, Daniel Müller-Schott the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the works with such renowned conduc- Musikhalle Hamburg, the Philharmo- tors as , Charles nie München, the Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Amsterdam and the Tonhalle Zürich. In Gielen, , Marek addition to Anne-Sophie Mutter und Sir Janowski, Armin Jordan, James Judd, André Previn, his chamber music part- Yakov Kreizberg, Kurt Masur and Sir ners include Vadim Repin, Lars Vogt, André Previn. His concerts are with , Robert Kulek, Julia orchestras such as the Chicago Sym- Fischer, Olli Mustonen, Christian phony Orchestra, the New York Phil- Tetzlaff and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. harmonic, the Philadelphia Orches- Daniel Müller-Schott studied tra, the Hamburg NDR Symphony under Walter Nothas, Heinrich Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Schiff and Steven Isserlis. He ben- France, the Israel Symphony Orches- efited from the personal sponsor- tra, the Nederlands Philharmonisch ship and support of Anne-Sophie Orkest, the Warsaw National Philhar- Mutter as the holder of a schol- monia, the Tchaikovsky Symphony arship from her Foundation. At Orchestra Moscow, the City of Bir- the age of 15 he won international mingham Symphony Orchestra and acclaiming by taking first prize at the Philharmonia Orchestra London. Moscow’s International Tchaikovsky In 2006 Daniel Müller-Schott Competition for Young Musicians. will be making guest appearanc- Daniel Müller-Schott plays

a Matteo Goffriller cello, made in Philharmonic, WDR Köln, NDR Venice in 1700. The 29-year-old musi- Hamburg, Staatskapelle Dresden cian lives in Munich, his home-town. and Munich Philharmonic, with In his spare time he is an enthusias- which he works regularly. He has tic jogger and badminton player. He also worked with the Deutsches is very interested in art, and feels Sinfonie-Orchester , Bayerische a strong affinity with Rundfunk, Orchestre de Paris, Tonhalle French painters; it is the way they Orchestra Zürich, Royal Concertgebouw, treat colours and light which con- London Symphony Orchestra, and stantly fascinates and inspires him. Philharmonia Orchestra; he is a fre- www.daniel-mueller-schott.com quent guest at the BBC Proms. Within North America, Yakov Yakov Kreizberg Kreizberg regularly works with pres- he Russian-born American conduc- tigious orchestras including the Ttor Yakov Kreizberg currently holds Philadelphia Orchestra (with which the posts of Chief Conductor and he toured the Americas), Pittsburgh Artistic Advisor of the Netherlands Orchestra, Cincinnati Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra; he has also con- Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, as ducted the Los Angeles and New York well as Principal Guest Conductor Philharmonics, and the Chicago and of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Boston Symphony Orchestras. From 1995 to 2000, he was Principal Besides having recorded for Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Decca and Oehms Classics, Yakov Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Kreizberg’s current and during 1994 to 2001 he held the with Pentatone Classics and the post of Generalmusikdirector of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra . has been extremely successful. With In demand across the globe, Pentatone Classics, Mr. Kreizberg has Yakov Kreizberg has conducted recorded an award-winning disc with orchestras throughout Europe, includ- Julia Fischer and the Russian National ing the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Berlin Orchestra, whereas his first recording with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra 1986, he won first prize in the Leopold – of Bruckner’s Symphony No.7 – was Stokowski Conducting Competition in nominated in two categories (includ- New York. ing best orchestral performance) for www.yakovkreizberg.com the 2006 Grammy Awards. At the Komische Oper, Mr. Nederlands Kamerorkest Kreizberg established a fine reputa- he Nederlands Kamerorkest tion in a wide variety of repertoire. T(= Netherlands Chamber Orches- Elsewhere, he has conducted the tra) was founded in 1955 and gave Canadian Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, its first concert that year during the English National Opera and on a Holland Festival. Szymon Goldberg number of occasions the Glyndebourne – the legendary violinist, conductor Festival Opera. He has recently con- and pedagogue – was artistic director ducted Iolanthe with Netherlands of the ensemble for the first 22 years. Opera and returns in 2007/08 for Goldberg then appointed David Zin- Katya Kabanova. As part of the 2004 man as second conductor (along- Bregenz FestivaI, he conducted Weill’s side himself) and, jointly, they raised Der Protagonist and Royal Palace with the level of the orchestra to equal the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and that of any top international cham- in 2006 he made his début at the Royal ber ensemble. They were succeeded Opera House with Macbeth.Yakov in 1979 by Antoni Ros Marbà, who Kreizberg was born in St Petersburg led the orchestra until 1986. From and studied conducting privately with 1986 to 2002, Hartmut Haenchen was Ilya A. Musin, (the renowned Professor chief conductor of the ensemble, with of Conducting at the St. Petersburg Philippe Entremont as permanent Conservatory), before emigrating to guest conductor. the United States in 1976. There, he Since 2003, Yakov Kreizberg was awarded conducting fellowships has been chief conductor of the at with Bernstein, Ozawa Nederlands Kamerorkest. In Sep- and Leinsdorf, as well as at the Los tember 2004, top violinist Gordan Angeles Philharmonic Institute. In Nikolic was appointed Artistic Direc- tor and Leader of the Nederlands South America, Canada, Australia, Kamerorkest. As such, he regular- Japan, China and almost all Euro- ly leads the orchestra from within. pean countries. It has performed at The Nederlands Kamerorkest many festivals, including the Wiener gives about 25 concerts per year in Festwochen, Prager Frühling, Edin- the major Dutch concert halls, includ- burgh Festival, Granada Festival ing the Concertgebouw. Each season, and La Folle Journée (Nantes 2002). the orchestra also accompanies a Since its foundation, the Neder- number of productions of the Ned- lands Kamerorkest has worked with erlandse Opera at the Muziektheater prominent guest conductors such as in Amsterdam. Apart from the many Darius Milhaud, Rudolf Barshai, Carlo Rossini and Mozart operas, the Maria Giulini, , Yehu- orchestra has performed numerous di Menuhin, Hans Vonk and Edo de contemporary operas to great criti- Waart. The numerous world-famous cal acclaim. For instance, the world- soloists who have performed with première of Alexander Knaifel’s Alice the orchestra include Elly Ameling, in September 2001; and the produc- Maurice André, Martha Argerich, tion of Tea by the Chinese/Ameri- Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alfred Brendel, can composer Tan Dun in January Gidon Kremer, Radu Lupu, Anne- 2003 was also a major success. In Sophie Mutter, Isabelle van Keulen, March 2005, the orchestra accom- Jean-Pierre Rampal, Marie-Claire panied Bellini’s opera Norma, and Alain, Han de Vries and Mstislav Ros- performances of Rossini’s Il barbiere tropovich. During a successful three- de Siviglia are scheduled for January year project, Christian Zacharias 2006. In autumn 2006, the orches- performed Mozart’s complete piano tra will accompany the Nederlandse concertos from behind the piano. Opera in the Mozart-Da Ponte tril- The Nederlands Kamerorkest has ogy at the Amsterdam Muziektheater. an extensive repertoire available on The Nederlands Kamerorkest has CD. Some recordings dating from the toured extensively to countries such LP era – which include a Mozart Piano as the United States, Middle and Concerto featuring Martha Arger- ich, and Szymon Goldberg’s Bach einem vom 20. Oktober 1854 datierten programmes – have since been re- Brief an die befreundete Gisela von released on CD for their historic value, Arnim gibt Joachim eine detaillierte and new CD recordings on the Penta- Charakterstudie seines Freundes. So Tone label are scheduled. (Please surf schreibt er: „Brahms ist der einge- to www.orkest.nl to view the orches- fleischte Egoist, den man sich denken tra’s comprehensive discography.) kann, ohne dass er es selbst wüsste, During the 2005-2006 season, the wie denn überhaupt Alles bei ihm Nederlands Kamerorkest celebrated in unmittelbarster Genialität ächt its 50th anniversary with an anni- unbesorgt aus seiner sanguinischen versary concert at the Amsterdam Natur hervorquillt – bisweilen aber Concertgebouw, among others. mit einer Rücksichtslosigkeit (nicht www.orkest.nl Rückhaltlosigkeit, denn das wäre mir recht!), die verletzt, weil sie Unbildung „Frei, aber einsam“ verräth.“ Danach wäre Brahms nichts „Frei, aber froh“ weiter als ein egozentrischer, ja ungeho- „Mir ist noch niemals ein belter Klotz, doch dem steht Joachims derart großes Talent wirklich aufrechte Bewunderung für begegnet. Er ist mir um jene Ideale gegenüber, auf die Brahms Jahre voraus.“ kompromisslos abzielte: „Ungestört o lautete das Urteil des ungari- seiner Musikseligkeit, seinem Glauben Sschen Geigers und Komponisten an eine höhere fantastische Art, sich Joseph Joachim über seinen zwei alle ungesunden Empfindungen und Jahre jüngeren Kollegen Johannes eingebildeten Schmerzen Anderer Brahms. Joachim und Brahms waren vom Hals zu halten – darin ist er wahr- sich 1853 in Hannover begegnet und haft gesund, wie denn auch seine von dort an schier unzertrennlich. Sorglosigkeit für die Existenz in ihm Beide gaben nicht nur eine Vielzahl schön, ja grossartig ist.“ gemeinsamer Konzerten, sondern In dieser Phase seines Lebens Brahms wohnte auch in den Jahren war Brahms ein nahezu besessener 1853 und 1854 im Hause Joachim. In Leser der romantischen Literatur und ein glühender Anhänger der roman- er 1888 an Joachim: „Für mich ist f.a.e. tischen Kunsttheorie. So las er etwa ein Symbol geblieben, und darf ich es, Jean Paul und Novalis und notierte trotz allem, wohl segnen.“ Außerdem sich interessante Aussagen dieser Schriftsteller in einem Notizbuch, dem er in Anlehnung an eine Fantasiefigur aus Schumanns „Davidsbündler“ den Titel „Schatzkästlein des jungen Kreisler“ gegeben hatte. Auch Joseph Joachim schrieb dann und wann kurze Bemerkungen, meist Aphorismen in dieses Büchlein. Ein besonders tref- fender beschreibt etwa das Verhältnis zwischen Mensch und Künstler: „Nur der Mensch ist ganzer Künstler, bei dem das Leben in die Kunst, diese in das Leben verherrli- chend eingreift, der Mensch, dem die Kunst nichts Zufälliges ist, das er wie ein Geschmeide nach Belieben um- und abhängt.“ Bemerkenswert ist die Tatsache, dass Joachim die meisten seiner Aphorismen mit den Initialen f.a.e. unterzeichnete – mal in Buchstaben, mal in Notenform. Die Abkürzung f.a.e. steht für „frei, aber einsam“, jenes Lebensmotto von Joachim, das auch Brahms gerne für sich in Anspruch nahm. So schreibt hatte Brahms noch ein eigenes Motto, das man in Anlehnung an die von Joachim beschriebene Sorglosigkeit des Komponisten wohl als cha- rakteristisch bezeichnen kann: f.a.f. – „frei, aber froh“. Das Symbol f.a.e. errang beinahe Kultstatus. So fand am 28. Oktober 1853 im Haus von Clara und Robert Schumann eine geschlos- sene Konzertveranstaltung statt, bei der Joachim mit einer eigens für ihn von Robert Schumann, Albert Dietrich und Johannes Brahms komponierten Violinsonate überrascht wurde, die auf dem Motiv f.a.e. basierte. Brahms komponierte übri- gens beinahe alle seiner Violinwerke für Joachim und fragte den Geiger auch regelmäßig um Rat, da er das Instrument selber nicht beherrschte. Joachim hatte Brahms wiederholt gedrungen, doch ein Violinkonzert für ihn zu schreiben. Das Werk sollte sti- listisch aber nicht dem romantischen Virtuosenkonzert folgen, sondern vielmehr ein symphonisches Konzert werden, das den Beethovenschen Gattungsbeitrag fortsetzt (der durch Joachims Aufführungen einen festen Platz im Konzertrepertoire gefunden hatte). Im Sommer 1878, Brahms hielt so populären ungarischen Salon-Stil sich wie gewöhnlich im österreichi- verpflichtet ist. Aber das konnte das schen Pörtschach am Wörthersee auf, Werk nicht vor den Kritikern retten, schrieb er – mit seinen Gedanken beim die einfach andere Erwartungen an Spiel des Freundes – ein Konzert für ein Solokonzert hatten. So schrieb Violine und Orchester. Im August erhielt etwa Hans von Bülow: „Max Bruchs Joachim einige „Violinpassagen zum Violinkonzert in G-Dur ist für die Ausprobieren“. Dessen Reaktionen Violine, das von Brahms aber dagegen waren enthusiastisch und die Passagen geschrieben.“ Und der große spanische wuchsen sich rasch zum Finale des Violinvirtuose Pablo de Sarasate wollte D-Dur-Violinkonzertes aus. Brahms das Konzert wie verlautet nicht in sein arbeitete wie ein Besessener. Die beiden Repertoire aufnehmen, da er sich wei- Mittelsätze des ursprünglich viersätzi- gerte, mit der Violine in der Hand dem gen Werkes landeten schließlich im atemberaubenden Oboensolo zuzuhö- Papierkorb und wurden das Adagio ren, das den langsamen Satz eröffnet. ersetzt, das wir heute als Mittelsatz Das Verhältnis zwischen Brahms kennen. Am 1. Januar 1879 brachte und Joachim kühlte merklich ab, als Joseph Joachim das neue Violinkonzert Brahms 1880 im Scheidungskrieg zwi- von Brahms im Gewandhaus zu Leipzig schen Joachim und seiner Gemahlin, zur Uraufführung. Der Komponist stand der Mezzosopranistin Amalie am Pult. Schneeweiss, Partei für diese ergriff. Mit Fug und Recht kann man Clara Schumann berichtet, dass die das Violinkonzert als symphonisches beiden Freunde mehrere Jahre über- Konzert bezeichnen, darauf weist haupt nicht miteinander sprechen bereits die Orchestereinleitung hin, wollten, obwohl Joachim weiterhin die nicht weniger als 90 Takte umfasst! Werke von Brahms spielte. Um aus Und doch bleibt auch Raum für die dieser Sackgasse herauszukommen, Virtuosität, vor allem in der Kadenz, komponierte Brahms im Sommer die Brahms der Fantasie von Joachim 1887 ein Doppelkonzert für Violine, überließ, sowie im Finale, das dem Violoncello und Orchester. Er hoffte, im Österreich des 19. Jahrhunderts dass Joachim sich bereit erklären würde, den Geigenpart zu übernehmen. schließlich eine Passage auf, in der die So kam es auch und am 18. Oktober beiden Solisten in Terzen voranschrei- 1887 spielten Joseph Joachim und ten – ein musikalisches Symbol für die der Cellist unter der wiedergefundene Freundschaft? Leitung von Brahms die Uraufführung „Frei, aber einsam“ – das Motto des Doppelkonzerts in Köln. Joachim der Freundschaft zwischen Brahms zeigte sich dankbar für Brahms’ Geste und Joachim, zweier Meister ihres und der Bruch zwischen beiden war Faches, die durch ihren eigensinni- gekittet. Clara Schumann schreibt: gen Lebenswandel verbunden waren. „Es ist dies Konzert gewissermaßen Denn wie sich Joachim nach seiner ein Versöhnungswerk – Joachim und gescheiterten Ehe nie wieder an eine Brahms haben sich seit Jahren zum Frau binden wollte, so blieb Brahms erste Male wieder gesprochen.“ sein Leben lang Junggeselle. An seine Das Doppelkonzert enthält zahl- „Herzensfreundin“ Clara Schumann reiche musikalische Verweise auf die schrieb er kurz bevor er die Arbeit am Freundschaft zwischen Joachim und Doppelkonzert begann: „Ich brauche Brahms. So umfasst das Werk einige die absolute Einsamkeit, nicht sowohl Anspielungen auf das Violinkonzert um das mir Mögliche zu leisten, son- a-moll von Giovanni Battista Viotti, dern um nur überhaupt an meine eines von Joachims Paradestücken, Sache zu denken. Das liegt an meinem das auch Brahms sehr schätzte; aber es Naturell, es ist aber auch sonst einfach gibt noch mehr Zusammenhänge. Das zu erklären. Wer nun, wie ich Freude thematische Material des Kopfsatzes am Leben und an der Kunst ausser sich basiert auf dem f.a.e.-Motiv. Wenn hat, der ist nur zu geneigt, beides zu die Solisten mit einer kadenzartigen geniessen – und andres zu vergessen. Passage über das Hauptthema einset- Es möchte auch wohl das Richtigste zen, ist es die Violine, die mit den Tönen und Gescheiteste sein. Aber, gerade f – e – a (einer von Joachim oft benutz- jetzt, da ein neues grösseres Werk vor ten Umkehrung) beginnt. Am Ende des mir liegt, freue ich mich doch ein wenig ersten Satzes, nach mehreren Dialogen seiner und muss mir sagen: ich hätte zwischen den Solo-Instrumenten, taucht es nicht geschrieben, wenn ich mich am Rhein und in Berchtesgaden noch que toutefois, entre-temps, il fait mon- so schön des Lebens gefreut hätte.“ tre d’un manque de considération (et Ronald Vermeulen non pas d’un manque de soutien, ce Aus dem Niederländischen qui ne me poserait aucun problème !) von Franz Steiger blessant, car exprimant un manque de culture. » Bien que Joachim sem- „Frei, aber einsam“ ble considérer Brahms comme un ours „Frei, aber froh“ mal léché égocentrique, il éprouve en « Je n’ai jamais revanche un véritable émerveillement rencontré quelqu’un pour les idéaux que Brahms poursuit d’aussi talentueux. Il a sans concession aucune : « La seule des années d’avance sur chose qui l’intéresse est de pouvoir moi. » jouir sans être dérangé de la béati- insi parlait le violoniste et compo- tude que lui procure la musique, de sa Asiteur hongrois Joseph Joachim conviction de la recherche d’un monde de son collègue Johannes Brahms, fantastique – et la façon dont il parvient son cadet de deux ans. Joachim et à esquiver toute émotion malsaine et Brahms se rencontrèrent en 1853 à peine imaginée des autres tient vérita- Hanovre et devinrent inséparables. blement du génie – et il y excelle, tout En plus des nombreux concerts qu’ils comme son approche prudente de la donnèrent ensemble, Brahms vécut vie elle-même est extrêmement sédui- quelque temps chez Joachim en 1853 sante, et même magnifique. » et 1854. Dans une lettre à son amie À l’époque, Brahms fut un lecteur Gisela von Arnim, datée du 20 octobre impénitent de littérature romantique et 1854, Joachim trace un portrait détaillé un fervent adepte de la théorie artis- du caractère de son ami : « Brahms tique romantique. Il lut par exemple est un égoïste invétéré, bien qu’il ne Jean Paul et Novalis, et nota divers s’en rende lui-même pas compte, car propos intéressants de ces auteurs grâce à sa nature optimiste, tout coule dans un carnet auquel il avait donné, véritablement sans effort de sa plume, en clin d’œil au personnage de fantai- dans le plus pur trait de génie – alors sie de l’Alliance de David de Schumann, le nom de « Schatzkästlein des jungen domicile de Robert et Clara Schumann, Kreislers » (le petit trésor du jeune au cours duquel Joachim eut la sur- Kreisler). Joseph Joachim y nota lui prise d’entendre une sonate pour aussi de temps à autres quelques violon basée sur le motif musical f.a.e. mots, souvent sous la forme d’un et spécialement composé à son effet aphorisme. L’un d’entre eux, particuliè- par Robert Schumann, Albert Dietrich rement saisissant, touche à la relation et Johannes Brahms. entre l’homme et l’artiste : « Seul est Brahms écrivit presque toutes un artiste complet celui pour qui la vie ses œuvres pour violon à l’intention survient pour la gloire de l’art et vice- de Joachim et demanda régulière- versa – celui pour qui l’art n’est pas ment son avis au violoniste virtuose quelque chose que l’on met et retire puisqu’il ne jouait pas lui-même de par hasard comme un bijou. » On note cet instrument. À son tour, Joachim que Joachim signa la plupart de ces pressa Brahms à maintes reprises de aphorismes par les initiales f.a.e., par- composer pour lui un concerto pour fois également sous forme de notes. violon. Cependant, il ne le voulait L’abréviation f.a.e., signifiant pas dans le style des concertos vir- « frei, aber einsam » (libre, mais seul), tuoses romantiques, mais désirait un était la devise de Joachim, que Brahms concerto symphonique dans la lignée se plut lui aussi à employer. C’est ainsi du concerto pour violon de Beethoven. qu’il écrivit à Joachim en 1888 : « Pour Grâce aux interprétations de Joachim, moi, f.a.e. demeure un symbole et je ce concerto acquit d’ailleurs à l’épo- suis heureux de lui rendre grâce en que une place au répertoire standard. dépit de tout. » Brahms avait en outre Pendant l’été 1878, que Brahms passa sa propre devise, qui compte tenu de comme d’habitude en Autriche, à l’insouciance décrite par Joachim, peut Pörtschach am Wöthersee, il composa être qualifiée de caractéristique : f.a.f., un concerto pour violon et orchestre soit « libre, mais joyeux ». avec à l’idée le style d’interprétation Le symbole f.a.e. acquit presque de son ami. Joachim reçut au mois un statut « culte ». Ainsi, le 28 octobre d’août quelques « passages pour le 1853, un concert privé fut donné au violon, à titre d’essai ». Sa réaction fut enthousiaste et les passages s’enrichi- rent rapidement pour devenir le finale du concerto pour violon en Ré majeur auquel Brahms travaillait avec achar- nement. À un moment donné, les deux mouvements centraux du concerto en quatre mouvements disparurent dans la corbeille à papier et furent remplacés par l’Adagio – le mouvement central tel que nous le connaissons aujourd’hui. Le 1er janvier 1879, Joseph Joachim joua pour la première fois le nouveau concerto pour violon de Brahms à la Gewandhaus de Leipzig, avec le com- positeur lui-même au pupitre. Le concerto pour violon de Brahms mérite à très juste titre le quali- ficatif de concert symphonique. Il suffit d’en écouter l’introduction orchestrale avec ses pas moins de 90 mesures ! Néanmoins, suffisamment de place a été ménagée pour des démonstra- tions de virtuosité, notamment dans la cadence, que Brahms avait laissé à l’imagination de Joachim, et dans le finale, tributaire du style hongrois de salon, si populaire en Autriche au dix- neuvième siècle. Ceci ne put toutefois protéger l’œuvre des critiques, qui avaient de tout autres attentes d’un concerto solo. Hans von Bülow écrivit

par exemple : « Le concerto pour vio- celle. Joachim témoigna de la gratitude lon en Sol majeur de est pour le geste de Brahms et les liens pour le violon mais celui de Brahms est furent rétablis. Clara Schumann : « Ce clairement contre. » Et selon les dire, concerto est pour ainsi dire une œuvre le grand violoniste virtuose espagnol de réconciliation - Joachim et Brahms Pablo de Sarasate ne voulut pas mettre se parlent à nouveau pour la première le concerto à son répertoire car il se fois depuis des années. » refusait à écouter, son violon à la main, Le double concerto contient de le solo de hautbois d’une beauté prodi- nombreuses références musicales à gieuse qui introduit la partie lente. l’amitié entre Joachim et Brahms. Il La relation entre Brahms et renvoie par exemple plusieurs fois Joachim se rafraîchit sérieusement au concerto pour violon en la mineur lorsqu’en 1880, durant le divorce de de Giovanni Battista Viotti, l’une des Joachim et de sa femme, la mezzo- œuvres préférées de Joachim, que soprano Amalie Schneeweiss, Brahms Brahms adorait lui aussi. Mais il y a prit partie pour cette dernière. Clara plus encore. Le matériel thématique Schumann rapporte que les deux amis du premier mouvement est basé sur refusèrent même de se parler pendant le motif f.a.e. Lorsque les solistes atta- un certain nombre d’années, bien que quent avec un passage en forme de Joachim ait continué à interpréter la cadence sur le thème principal, c’est musique de Brahms. Pour sortir de le violon solo qui ouvre la marche cette impasse, Brahms écrivit pen- avec les notes f.e.a (une inversion que dant l’été 1887 un double concerto Joachim utilisait lui aussi bien souvent). pour violon, violoncelle et orchestre, Puis à la fin du premier mouvement, duquel il espérait que Joachim jouerait après plusieurs dialogues entre les ins- la partition du violon. Ce fut en effet truments solo, vient un long passage le cas et le 18 octobre de cette même dans lequel les deux solistes jouent en année, la première de cette œuvre fut tierces : un symbole musical de l’ami- donnée à Cologne sous la direction tié retrouvée ? de Brahms, avec Joseph Joachim au « Libre, mais seul », la devise de violon et Robert Hausmann au violon- l’amitié entre Brahms et Joachim, deux grands maîtres qui furent liés par leur approche capricieuse de la vie. Car comme Joachim qui, après l’échec de son mariage ne voulut plus jamais se lier à autre une femme, Brahms ne se maria jamais. Juste avant d’entamer son double concerto, il écrivit à son « amie de cœur » Clara Schumann : « J’ai besoin de solitude absolue, non seulement pour pouvoir offrir ce que j’ai de mieux, mais aussi et tout simplement pour suivre mes pro- pres pensées. C’est dans ma nature. Par ailleurs toutefois, cela s’explique PTC 5186 059 facilement : après tout, quelqu’un qui comme moi jouit de la vie et de l’art, est seulement trop pressé de jouir des deux – et d’oublier tout le reste. Peut- être est-ce également la façon la plus correcte et la plus raisonnable d’agir. Mais actuellement, avec une nouvelle grande œuvre sous les yeux, j’en suis toujours relativement satisfait et je dois me dire : je ne l’aurais pas écrite si j’avais joui de la vie avec exubérance le long du Rhin et à Berchtesgaden. » Ronald Vermeulen Traduction française : Brigitte Zwerver-Berret PTC 5186 064 PTC 5186 072 PTC 5186 094

PTC 5186 085 PTC 5186 095 Polyhymnia specialises in high-end recordings of acoustic music on location in concert halls, churches, and auditoriums around the world. It is one of the worldwide leaders in producing high-resolution surround sound recordings for SA-CD and DVD-Audio. Polyhymnia’s engineers have years of experience recording the world’s top classical artists, and are experts in working with these artist to achieve an audiophile sound and a perfect musical balance. Most of Polyhymnia’s recording equipment is built or substantially modified in-house. Particular emphasis is placed on the quality of the analogue signal path. For this reason, most of the electronics in the recording chain are designed and built in-house, including the microphone preamplifiers and the internal electronics of the microphones. Polyhymnia International was founded in 1998 as a management buy-out by key personnel of the former Philips Classics Recording Center. For more info: www.polyhymnia.nl

Technical Information

Recording facility: Polyhymnia International BV Microphones: DPA 4006 and 4011, Schoeps mk2S and Neumann km140. with Polyhymnia microphone buffer electronics. Microphone pre-amps: Custom build by Polyhymnia International BV and outputs directly connected to Meitner DSD AD converter. DSD recording, editing and mixing: Pyramix Virtual Studio by Merging Technologies Surround version: 5.0

Monitored on B&W Nautilus loudspeakers.

Microphone, interconnect and loudspeaker cables by van den Hul. HY BRID MU

LTICHANNEL

PTC 5186 066