Brahms and Shostakovich with Olga Kern

Delos #3587

Not having heard the Brahm’s work, I expected something dreamy, not dissonant. As I researched further I found it was written for two pianos before Brahms made this a 34b as a Sonata. It was dedicated to Princess Anna of Hesse. It is scored for two violins, piano, bass, and cello. Herman Levi that Johannes (1833-1897) into a thing of beauty, a masterpiece of chamber music, proving that good friends are honest ones.

While European music had been changing under Lizst and Wagner Brahms saw Beethoven as the one to emulate. He begins in a dark but organized (you would accept nothing else) from Brahms. It is Schubertian in nature offering a military march. The finale which is played as a yearning movement one that I like a lot as she shows off her talents and really becomes a part of it.

While formalism plays a part in Stalinist Russia Shostakovich trod a fine line with the Beethoven Quartet and ended up being well received. Composed prior to Hitler’s invasion Shostakovich maintained his status as the country’s most favored composer. Listen carefully to both of them and you will see how similar they are. I like both of them along with the playing of Kern. She has a nice style and listening to her is easy on the ears.