Classical Music - Chloe Wolpe and Rosie Richardson

When you next hear the term ‘Brahms and Liszt’ cast your mind back to their first meeting in 1853. Brahms was brought up in a rough part of Hamburg, and had made his living as a teenager playing piano in taverns and brothels. His big break came when he was spotted aged 20 playing on tour by the great violinist Joseph Joachim. The two became friends, and Brahms wrote his Scherzo (the opening piece in tonight’s concert) as part of a composite sonata dedicated to the violinist. Joachim soon introduced Brahms to the eminent composer Franz Liszt in the Court of Weimar. Brahms, however, notoriously uncouth, felt ill at ease in such exalted company. To try to put the young man at ease, Liszt played Brahms’Scherzo at sight, and went on to perform his own Sonata in B Minor. Brahms’ reaction did little to ingratiate him with his host. He fell asleep during the performance.

Tonight’s recital, featuring Chloe Wolpe on violin and Rosie Richardson on piano, is an interesting mix of well and lesser-known pieces. The second piece on the card is Four Australian Birds, a chamber work written in 2004 by British composer David Matthews. This is followed by Stravinsky’s jaunty Suite Italienne (listen to excerpt). The concert is concluded with a performance of Bach’s rather more sombre and occasionally dramatic Partita no 2 (listen to excerpt).
Shame on you if you fall asleep. AG