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A famous motto of Johannes Brahms
was "If we cannot compose as beautifully as Mozart and Haydn, let
us at least try to compose as purely." Brahms was born
in
Hamburg, the son of a double bass player. In his early years, Johannes
was known for playing in dives and bordellos. Brahms later acknowledged
that this early contact with the opposite sex contributed to his ultimately
remaining a lifelong bachelor. He most admired composers of baroque
and classical epochs. In many respects, Brahms brings the
classical-romantic continuum to an end. He felt no kinship to "the
music of the future", that was the mantle of Wagner and Liszt.
Brahms synthesized the musical language of romanticism with classical forms
and Baroque counterpoint.
In the genre of concerto, Brahms followed the
classical ideas of dialogue and equality between soloists and orchestra.
This was opposite to 'romantic' concertos, where virtuoso soloists overwhelmed
the orchestra, turning it into banal accompaniment. In the summer
of 1878, while vacationing in Austria, Brahms began a violin concerto for
his colleague, Joachim. The two men had performed together for decades, and Brahms
certainly knew the impressive extent of the violinist's talent. Joachim, being
a composer himself, was engaged in editing the violin part of Brahms' concerto for about a year.
Critics called this composition "a concerto against the violin"; and many violinists,
including Sarasate, refused to play it. The concerto was premiered
in 1879.
Born in Nelahozeves on September 8, 1841, Antonin Dvorak
was most certainly the greatest of the Czech composers. He came
from an environment of farmers and minor tradesmen. His way up was
hard - working as a private music teacher, church organist, violinist at
a local theatre; and at the same time, he studied composition with Bedrich
Smetana. Government subsidies helped him keep body and soul together
and feed his family. Such was the life of the greatest Czech composer
- until he met Johannes Brahms. Brahms decided to help Dvorak by introducing him to his publisher, Simrock,
who published Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, and made him a celebrity overnight...
Sounds like a Hollywood story.... At that time, Dvorak was 37 years
old.
In his compositions, Dvorak is known for fresh, lilting
melodies, archaic harmonic modes, strange modulations and his skill at
adapting folk tunes. He composed in almost all genres. Despite
his fascination with opera, he lacked a natural instinct for drama.
The best artistic results were achieved in his instrumental music.
The history of performing art knows many artists
who enjoy great popularity among their contemporaries, the musicians that made valuable contributions to the
development of performance technique. There are just a few artists
whose creative activity brought a new aesthetic horizon in musical culture
in general. David Oistrakh
(1908 - 1974) was that kind of musician. The violinist's unique
gift was embodied in his early musical maturity - in the vastness of his
repertoire, in the range of thoughts and emotions made tangible through
his violin, and in guest tours that lasted for about fifty years.
The 20th century will enter into the history of the violin performing art
as the epoch of David Oistrakh. His traditions go on in the creative
activity of his best pupils.
Upon graduating from the Moscow Conservatory
in 1936, Kirill Kondrashin
(1914 - 1981) conducted opera performances in the Moscow and Leningrad
theatres, from 1943 - in the USSR Bolshoi Theatre. Kondrashin systematically
conducted the leading symphony orchestras of the Soviet Union, dedicating his life entirely
to concert activity. A vast and versatile repertoire, marked by artistic individuality, and richness
of musical interpretation brought Kirill Kondrashin wide international
acclaim.
©2003
Evgeni Kostitsyn
Johannes Brahms
Concerto for violin and orchestra in d major
1. Allegro non troppo - 21:41
2. Adagio - 9:15
3.
Allegro giocoso ma non troppo vivace - 7:40
Antonin Dvorak
Concerto for violin and orchestra in a minor
4. Allegro non troppo - 10:55
5. Adagio ma non troppo - 11:23
6. Finale. Allegro giocoso ma non troppo - 9:30
Total Time - 70:49
David Oistrakh, violin
USSR Radio Large Symphony Orchestra
Kirill Kondrashin, conductor
cover painting "Cow and Violin" by Malevich
Recorded in 1951. Recording was restored in 1990. Recording Engineer - Badeyan
Design by Evgeni Kostitsyn