Whether the two Brahms sonatas of Op. 120 (his last chamber works) are best suited for clarinet or viola is largely a matter of personal preference. But the choice that Brahms gives us between these two instruments is likely because of their equal potential for a satin, mellifluous sound. Unfortunately, this is where violist Steven Dann sometimes falls short of the ideal sound quality for these two sonatas. In the lower register of his instrument, Dann achieves a beautiful, throaty sound, especially well-suited for the ...
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Whether the two Brahms sonatas of Op. 120 (his last chamber works) are best suited for clarinet or viola is largely a matter of personal preference. But the choice that Brahms gives us between these two instruments is likely because of their equal potential for a satin, mellifluous sound. Unfortunately, this is where violist Steven Dann sometimes falls short of the ideal sound quality for these two sonatas. In the lower register of his instrument, Dann achieves a beautiful, throaty sound, especially well-suited for the first theme of the F minor sonata. However, there is a big change in timbre when a melody crosses over to the A-string, where the sound is sometimes too strident. Intonation is generally good except for the typical pitfall of the double stops before the recapitulation in F minor first movement. Pianist Lambert Orkis provides a generally pleasing backdrop, although some of his softer accompanimental figures aren't as clear as they could be.In contrast, the two songs of Op. 91 are...
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