'Sonatas for Viola & Piano Vol. 1'
Tabea Zimmermann, viola; Kirill Gerstein, piano (Myrios Classics)
Tabea Zimmermann provides a powerful demonstration that the viola is no longer second class. And if this is what her series of viola sonatas for Mainz-based Myrios is going to be like, get ready for Vol. 2.
This set includes Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata (1919), Henri Vieuxtemps’ Sonata In B flat, Op. 36, and Johannes Brahms’ Sonata In E flat, Op. 120, No. 2. The sound is one of those north European audiophile miracles, finding incomparable depths of sound and color that bring out the geniality of Brahms, the elegance of Vieuxtemps, and the fire of Clarke. The recording is equally in love with Gerstein, who contributes playing of feline intuition and romantic spark that glistens with brilliant, piano lacquer shine.
Although there are ongoing dedications and invitations from contemporary composers, Zimmermann told me that she plays with the Arcanto Quartet a lot and so has not had as much time as she would like to prepare herself for taking on such big concertos. She hinted, however, at what might be coming her way during the next few years. For the record: Zimmermann played with Henle’s urtext edition for the Brahms. For Rebecca Clarke, she used a Chester Music edition published in 1921, which is, to her understanding, the original score. The Vieuxtemps was taken “mainly from the Amadeus-Verlag score.”
There’s a lot on Zimmermann’s contemporary plate, including Bruno Mantovani’s concerto for two violas (with Antoine Tamestit) and Georges Lentz’s evocatively titled “Monh.” Gyorgy Ligeti, Heinz Holliger, Wolfgang Rihm, and Frank Michael Beyer have also written for her.
I told you: There’s a trend!
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