Viola Concertos from Berlin – Johannes Pramsohler

With its third volume of Berlin Concertos, Ensemble Diderot opens a new chapter in its exploration of the vibrant musical world of Enlightenment Berlin, turning its attention to the viola and its surprisingly rich role in the city’s flourishing concerto culture. Featuring four world-premiere recordings, the album makes a significant addition to the viola repertoire, showcasing the instrument’s extraordinary expressive range and virtuoso capabilities.

These rediscovered concertos challenge long-held perceptions of the viola as merely an accompanying instrument, revealing it instead as a solo voice of striking brilliance, sensitivity, and dramatic power. Performed on period instruments by Ensemble Diderot, the recording combines scholarly insight with compelling musicianship. Directed by Johannes Pramsohler, who also takes on the solo viola role, the project brings fresh life to these forgotten masterpieces, highlighting their originality, dramatic power, and striking modernity. Newly composed cadenzas by the ensemble’s harpsichordist Philippe Grisvard further enrich this journey of rediscovery.

More than a recording, this album is an invitation to rediscover a remarkable chapter of European musical history and to hear the viola – as Berlin’s composers once imagined it – as a voice of eloquence, sensitivity, and brilliance, rising from the very heart of the ensemble.