Zaslav Duo - Brahms & Friends: Music for Viola & Piano - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Johannes Brahms (1833-1896) absorbed and integrated the musical legacy of his time, as did J.S. Bach before him. The music of Brahms is intimately connected to and rooted in the German-Austrian tradition that he inherited. For Brahms, this tradition was very much alive and relevant; he constantly measured his own efforts against the achievements of Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, trying to live up to and continue their legacy. He was not looking back to the past, but InchprogressingInch (to use the terminology of Schoenberg's essay InchBrahms the ProgressiveInch) towards a past that was yet to be fulfilled. There is a precious sense of inevitability in great art, as if every masterpiece was meant to be created exactly as it is. The works of Brahms are amazingly organic, meticulously calculated and very human at the same time. This fusion of intellect and feeling, sincerity and reserve, heartfelt emotion and impeccable taste is unique to Brahms. It makes his music inevitable and indispensable. Pianist and conductor Vladimir Feltsman is one of the most versatile and constantly interesting musicians of our time. His vast repertoire encompasses music from the Baroque to 20th century composers. A regular guest soloist with leading symphony orchestras in the United States and abroad, he appears in the most prestigious concert series and music festivals all over the world.

When Julian Olevksy made his first tour of the Orient in 1959, the Tokyo Shinbun declared him to be Inchthe most exciting violinist to appear in Japan next to Heifetz and OistrakhInch - to which his remarkable performances on this album of violin concertos by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Wieniawski and Lalo bear eloquent witness. Julian Olevsky was born in Berlin on May 7, 1926. The son of a professional violinist, he began his studies at 7. In 1935, mindful of the growing danger in Germany, the family moved to Buenos Aires. He made his recital debut at 10 and his orchestral debut at 12 in Buenos Aires under the baton of Fritz Busch. In 1947 he immigrated to the United States. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he performed widely, touring and appearing with the finest world orchestras. He recorded extensively for the American tag Westminster. Olevsky had a distinguished career as a teacher as well. In 1967 he was appointed Resident Artist and subsequently Professor of Violin at the University of Massachusetts. Olevsky died in Amherst on May 25, 1985. The eminent violin critic Henry Roth, in his survey of the great violinists said of him that he was Incha brilliant virtuoso, a fine tonalist with glowing temperament and a tasteful musician and stylist.Inch The complete Symphonie espagnole, including the 3rd movement InchIntermezzoInch, was recorded by Julian Olevsky at the recording sessions. However, the Westminster LP of Lalo's Symphonie espagnole did not include it. Many recordings made in that era by other top ranking violinists, such as Huberman, Elman, Heifetz, Francescatti, Milstein and Grumiaux (2 recordings), also omitted the intermezzo. It is now added here as originally recorded by Olevsky, presenting the complete 5 movements version - for the very first time.

Steinway ambassador, Guildhall professor, and cofounder of the London Piano Festival, Charles Owen turns to the late piano works by Johannes Brahms for his latest AVIE . Within this collection of Capriccios, Rhapsodies and Intermezzi, Charles reveals myriad moods with the composer harking back as well as facing forward- from evocations of Schubert, Schumann and Liszt in the Eight Klavierstucke, Op. 76; winter-like darkness in the two Op. 79 Rhapsodies; Hungarian foot-stomping dance forms in the seven Fantasies that comprise Op. 116; nostalgic contemplation in the Op. 117 Intermezzi; romantic inflections in Op. 118 Klavierstucke which were dedicated to Clara Schumann; and the tonally forward Klavierstucke, Op. 119. InchA class above the rest... His performances are underpinned by an unwavering musicality that is enhanced by close attention to the score.Inch (International Piano) InchExemplary. Classic. Spellbinding. And enthusiastically recommended.Inch (Fanfare) InchFantastically versatile... he hits the nail on the head... very stylish, very faithful.Inch (BBC Radio 3 Record Review)