Stephan Schardt, Philipp Vogler - Brahms: The Violin Sonatas (2015)

Philipp Vogler and Stephan Schardt have conducted a daring experiment on three sonatas for piano and violin by Johannes Brahms, presenting these works on an original grand piano from the famous workshop of Johann Baptist Streicher, known to be the composer's special favorite, and a violin strung with mere gut strings. In his choice of bowings, fingerings, and portamenti Schardt also follows precedents set by Joachim. It almost goes without saying that this violinist drawing on rich historical performance practice experience also employs skillful bowing to exploit all the articulatory and expressive opportunities offered by gut strings. The three-dimensional production of this Super Audio CD renders all of the above with special vividness: in 2+2+2 reproduction, music we thought we knew so well assumes a freshness that makes for pure pleasure on each new hearing.