Johannes Brahms: Evocations (Sonata No. 2, Albumblatt, Two Gavottes, Handel Variations) – Sara Costa

This Da Vinci Classics album presents some masterful works from Johannes Brahms’ youthful years: two of them are major works in two of the most important traditional forms of Western music, while the remaining two are short and until recently unknown pieces. His Handel-Variations, premiered by Clara Schumann and dedicated to her, reveal Brahms’ interest in Baroque music but also his total mastery of piano technique. Throughout the cycle, he explores innovative solutions in terms of both composition and virtuosity. With his Second Sonata op. 2 he had managed to impress the Schumann couple, and Robert wrote for him a letter of recommendation which ultimately brought him his first contracts with Breitkopf. Here too we find a theme with variations inspired by ancient music, with the elaboration of a medieval Minnesang. The Albumblatt in A minor was written by Brahms on the liber amicorum of a musician, and was only rediscovered a few years ago by Christopher Hogwood. The Gavotte, instead, was to be part of a projected Suite inspired by Baroque models, which, however, was never published in this form.