Brahms & Schubert : The Complete Duos / Rondo (IV)

Album review

The cellist Pieter Wispelwey and the pianist Paulo Giacometti have decided to record six albums comprising the complete works for duet of Brahms and Schubert. In other words, the pieces written for an instrument and piano. The instrument in question could be the cello, or the violin, the viola, etc. Because can a virtuoso cellist really resist the temptation to dip their toes into other repertoires than their own? After all, we know full well that the composers themselves wouldn't hesitate to transcribe, or authorise a transcription, of their own work for other instruments. And so here is the fourth volume of this collection, which hinges on Brahms's Sonate Op. 78, which was first written for violin in G major, here transcribed into D major by Paul Klengel in 1897; as well as the First Sonata, originally for clarinet Op. 120, by the very same Brahms. Of the latter work, we know that the composer himself transcribed it for the viola, and this transcription formed the basis for Pieter Wispelwey's own re-reading - very close to the viola part, within which he has simply transposed certain uncomfortably high passages down an octave. By way of overture we have Schubert's Rondo in B minor (1826), written for violin and piano, here brought down an octave (or two) for cello, although the change doesn't make any difference at all to the harmonic perception. © SM/Qobuz