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JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–97)
Scherzo in C minor, WoO 2 (
Sonatensatz
)
For the birthday of violinist Joseph Joachim in
1853, three of his musical friends collaborated on
a sonata for violin and piano, a project initiat-
ed by Robert Schumann. Each movement was
based on Joachim’s musical motto: F–A–E (
Frei
aber einsam
—free but alone). The first move-
ment of this composite A-minor sonata in was
written by Albert Dietrich, a German conduc-
tor who had studied with Ignaz Moscheles and
Robert Schumann. Schumann composed music
for two movements on October 22 and 23: the
slow second movement (
Intermezzo
) in F major
and the
Finale
, which begins in A minor be-
fore turning to A major. The third movement,
a scherzo in C minor, was created by Johannes
Brahms. His inclusion in this project indicates
the swift recognition the young pianist-compos-
er had gained since meeting Schumann only one
month earlier.
Joachim received the sonata on October 27, 1853,
after his arrival in Düsseldorf for a solo perfor-
mance. The following day Joachim and Clara
Schumann gave the work a reading before a few
friends. This musical present was well received,
but it was never published as a complete work.
Schumann set out the next morning to revise
his music, and he added two more movements
to complete his own Violin Sonata No. 3. It is
not known whether Dietrich’s movement ever
appeared in print. Brahms’s
Scherzo
—his first
work for violin and piano—was published un-
der the title
Sonatensatz
(literally, “sonata move-
ment”) in 1906 by Joachim.
Brahms’s movement is divided into the three
sections typical of the design:
scherzo
–
trio
–
scherzo
. The C-minor
scherzo
is in a fast, lilting
6/8 meter. Characteristics of Brahms’s Romantic
expression and rhythmic energy can be found
even in this early work. The
trio
introduces a
more lyrical theme in major; reminiscences of
the
scherzo
’s triplet motion can be heard. The
scherzo
returns in C minor, and a grandiose
coda closes the movement in major.
7:30 PM WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2018
MARTIN THEATRE
ZUKERMAN TRIO
PINCHAS ZUKERMAN,
violin and viola
AMANDA FORSYTH,
cello
ANGELA CHENG,
piano
ALL-BRAHMS PROGRAM
Scherzo in C minor (
Sonatensatz
)
Pinchas Zukerman
,
violin
; Angela Cheng,
piano
Cello Sonata No. 1
Allegro non troppo
Allegretto quasi Menuetto
Allegro
Angela Forsyth
,
cello
; Angela Cheng,
piano
–Intermission–
Wie Melodien zieht es mir
Pinchas Zukerman
,
violin
; Angela Cheng,
piano
Viola Sonata No. 1
Allegro appassionato
Andante un poco Adagio
Allegretto grazioso
Vivace
Pinchas Zukerman
,
viola
; Angela Cheng,
piano
Ravinia expresses its appreciation for the generous support of
Sponsor
The Pinkert and Lee Families
.
Happy 70th birthday, Pinchas Zukerman!
Joseph Joachim
RAVINIA MAGAZINE | JULY 9 – JULY 15, 2018
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