Lunchtime Concert: John Thomson & Monica Chang, with Allison Cormack

Melodies from Brahms – Love and Friendship

The Auckland duo of pianist Monica Chang and violinist John Thomson will be joined by Nelson soprano Allison Cormack in this celebration of music by Brahms. The concert will centre around the Sonata for Piano and Violin, Number 2, opus 100, often nicknamed the Thun Sonata. The sonata quotes one of Brahms’ beautiful Lieder as the second theme in the opening movement:

Wie Melodien zieht es Mir, opus 105, Number 1.

Brahms composed these works in the summer of 1886 while, staying at the resort of Thun in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, with his love for a singer and friendship for a violinist in mind. Thun was a favourite summer retreat for Brahms, who did most of his composing while away from the hustle and bustle, of his daily life on Vienna. Brahms wrote in a letter that this area was so inspiring for his creativity and found it to be: so full of melodies that one has to be careful not to step on any.

Brahms was somewhat infatuated with the singer Hermine Spies who was also at Thun at the time, and they would spend time together rowing on the lake. Apparently this song was composed with Hermine in mind to a text by the poet Klaus Groth who also visited Thun that summer. Brahms also hoped that the sonata would lead to a reconciliation with his dear friend, the great violinist Joseph Joachim. The relationship had suffered through a painful misunderstanding that had made their relationship awkward. It is accurate to say that all of Brahms’ works for violin were conceived with the playing of Joachim in mind.

Programme:

Wie Melodien zieht es Mir, opus 100/1

(Allison Cormack, Monica Chang)

Sonata No 2, opus 100 for Piano and Violin in A Major

(John Thomson, Monica Chang)

I – Allegro amabile

II – Andante tranquillo — Vivace — Andante — Vivace di più — Andante — Vivace

III – Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)