Singing in the Rain
Donald Macleod explores Brahms's expressive First Violin Sonata - inspired by thoughts of his lost love Clara Schumann in the rain - and his rarely-performed String Quartet No 1.
Everyone knows that Brahms struggled with his First Symphony for years - terrified of failing to live up to the great Beethoven. Much less well-known is that he tore his hair out over the other great genre dominated by his hero - the String Quartet - quite literally wallpapering his bedroom with his failed attempts.
In the third programme of this series Donald Macleod takes us through two movements from Brahms's rarely-performed and oft-maligned First String Quartet, as well as a complete performance of his beautiful and lyrical first Violin Sonata, inspired by thoughts of his great lost love, Clara Schumann, among the falling rain.
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Music Played
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Johannes Brahms
String Quartet no.1 in C Minor, Op.51 no.1 [extract]
Performer: Alban Berg Quartet
- EMI CDS 7548292.
- 1 to 2.
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Johannes Brahms
Piano Quartet no.3 in C Minor, Op.60
Performer: II. Scherzo: Allegro Performer: Emanuel Ax (piano), Isaac Stern (violin), Jaime Laredo (viola), Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
- SONY CLASSICAL 2K45846.
- 6.
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Johannes Brahms
"Regenlied" from Eight Songs, Op.59
Performer: Olaf Baer (baritone), Geoffrey Parsons (piano)
- EMI CDC7497232.
- 28.
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Johannes Brahms
Sonata no.1 for violin and piano, Op.78
Performer: Anne-Sofie Mutter (violin), Alexis Weissenberg (piano)
- EMI CDC7492992.
- 1 to 3.
Broadcasts
- Wed 24 Sep 200812:00BBC Radio 3
- Wed 24 Sep 200822:00BBC Radio 3
- Wed 1 Sep 201012:00BBC Radio 3
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