Brahms: Double Concerto for Violin & Cello in A minor, Op. 102

The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra performs this popular coupling of two major works for their latest Chandos recording. The two works complement one another as they both incorporate interplay and dialogue between two or more solo instruments.

Beethoven's Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano was written in 1804, and on many levels is a highly emotional work on. Beethoven had now accepted his deafness, and his desire to express himself through music had returned. This richly melodic and mature work has joyful as well as bleak moments, and might be described as a piano trio with orchestral accompaniment.

In the case of the Double Concerto of Johannes Brahms, here large stretches can be considered as a piano trio in which the orchestra takes on the role of the piano.

Trio Poseidon was formed in 2002 by Sara Trobäck Hesselink, (Leader of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra), Claes Gunnarsson, (Principal Cellist of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra) and pianist Per Lundberg (Professor at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm.) Since their inaugural season, Trio Poseidon has become one of the most sought after ensembles in their native Sweden.

This was a memorable concert taken from the 1964 Bath Festival, and for collectors it is very important because none of these artists, including Yehudi Menuhin whose discography is vast, ever recorded Beethoven’s Triple Concerto.

The Beethoven Triple Concerto relied on players familiar with chamber music, and this is what it gets here, because Yehudi Menuhi, with the great French cellist Maurice Gendron (1920-1990) and Menuhin’s sister, Hephzibah (1920-1981), formed a Trio which lasted for 25 years!

The Brahms Double Concerto produces an exciting performance with Menuhin in particular in good form strongly supported by Gendron and the LSO under the dynamic direction of Istvan Kertesz, whose appointment as the LSO’s chief conductor was made the following year in 1965. Kertesz did not record these works commercially.