Brahms composed the last of his 3 violin sonatas between 1886 and 1888.  Unusually, the D minor Sonata is in 4 rather than 3 movements.  It is dedicated to his friend and colleague, the conductor Hans von Bülow.  The Sonata was premiered in 1888 by violinist Jenõ Hubay with Brahms at the piano. Bach’s Chaconne is famous.  It is the closing movement (no.5) of the Partita in D minor for Solo Violin.  It has variously been described as “the greatest structure for solo violin that exists”, (Menhuin) and by Joshua Bell “it is not just one of the greatest pieces ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history. It’s a spiritually powerful piece, emotionally powerful, structurally perfect.”  Brahms, in a letter to Clara Schumann, wrote, “On one stave, for a small instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thoughts and most powerful feelings.  If I imagined that I could have created, even conceived the piece, I am quite certain that the excess of excitement and earth-shattering experience would have driven me out of my mind.”  The Chaconne is a set of variations of extraordinary imagination based on the simple opening phrase.  Famously, Busoni transcribed the Chaconne for piano solo and is a favourite amongst concert pianists. 

In the winter of 1838-39, Chopin with his partner George Sand and her children, moved to Mallorca, staying in the Carthusian Monastery in Valldemossa.   It was hoped the change of climate would improve the composer’s health, but the damp weather failed to improve his condition.  They decided to leave in February 1839.  Despite his poor health, these months away from Paris were highly productive for Chopin, completing several compositions including the 24 Preludes, the 2nd Piano Sonata, the Op.37 Nocturnes and the 2nd Ballade we are to hear this evening.  Scholars disagree as to the poetic inspiration of this Ballade. Whatever it may be, the dedicatee of the Ballade was Robert Schumann who had dedicated his Kreisleriana to Chopin. 

The original orchestral composition, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, was given in Paris on December 22, 1894. It is one of Debussy’s most famous works and considered  a turning point in the history of Western Music.  Its melodies and harmonies made it a masterpiece of Impressionism in music. Composer Pierre Boulez described it as “the beginning of modern music”.  In the original orchestration you hear a solo flute play the opening melody which Boulez said, “the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music.” 

The inspiration for the Prélude is a poem by Mallarmé. The poet attended the premiere of the work and wrote to Debussy, “I have just come out of the concert, deeply moved. The marvel! Your illustration of the Afternoon of a Faun, which presents no dissonance with my text, but goes much further, really, into nostalgia and into light, with finesse, with sensuality, with richness. I shake your hand admiringly, Debussy. Yours, Mallarmé.” Our duo will perform a marvellous arrangement by Jascha Heifitz. 

Henryk Wieniawski was a Polish violin prodigy. Aged 8 he was accepted into the Paris Conservatoire.  Upon graduation he embarked upon a career as a brilliant concert soloist and teacher. From 1860 to 1872, at the invitation of Anton Rubenstein, Wieniawski moved to St. Petersburg.  In 1875 he became the Violin Professor at the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels.  His violin compositions are numerous including 3 concertos, though the manuscript of no.3 has disappeared.  His solo compositions bear the Stampe of a genius virtuoso and his Op.10 L’Ecole modern: 10 Etudes-caprices are on a par with the Paganini Caprices.  That is, they are very difficult! 

Programme Notes Copywrite Alistair Jones, 2025