“Brahms is egoism incarnate, without himself being aware of it,” postulated the great violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim within a year of his first meeting with the young composer. Yet Joachim conceded “I have never come across a talent like his before.” Brahms himself was later to write that he “would never think to live in the same city joined with him [ie. Joachim] in collaborative activity.” Yet collaborate they did, the two giving concert tours and Joachim acting as an advisor when it came to Brahms writing for his instrument. These sonatas, boasting a lyrical architectural gravitas unencumbered by the flash filigree that adorned many of the virtuosic fripperies penned in the second half of the 19th century, are testament to that knowledge shared.
Adam Chamber Music Festival: A magnet for talent
Artists and audiences return to New Zealand's Adam Chamber Music Festival year after year. "We’re a festival that looks after people,” says Artistic Director Gillian Ansell.
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