About the transcriptions for violoncello:

 

Brahms’ last chamber works, the two clarinet sonatas op. 120, were completed in 1894. They were first performed privately in the same year with Brahms at the piano and Richard Mühlfeld, for whom they were written, playing clarinet. After making his customary revisions Brahms gave the first public performance - again with Mühlfeld - in January 1895 in Vienna. Soon afterwards the first edition was published, along with an optional version for viola and piano, in which Brahms made only minor alterations to the clarinet part.

 

With such established works as the op. 120 sonatas, one well may ask why the present version for cello and piano has been undertaken: at the same time it is interesting to note that other versions, even by the composer, have been made. Already in 1895 an arrangement by Paul Klengel for piano fourhands appeared and Brahms, who was not completely satisfied with the viola setting, made yet another version for violin and piano which he performed privately with his great friend Joseph Joachim. Here Brahms made substantial changes to both the string and piano parts: Brahms’ hesitation to immediately publish his third version was merely a friendly gesture to avoid extra «competition» for Mühlfeld, who had by now begun touring with the sonatas. The idea of substituting instruments in chamber music was neither new, nor foreign to Brahms’ time: one need only mention Mozart’s «Kegelstatt»-trio as one of many illustrious examples. The changing of instruments in op. 120 creates not only more opportunities for performers, but also two very distinct musical expressions as well. The warmth of the lower strings and the use of double-stopping on the viola offer different possibilities than those of the clarinet, while some of the higher passages and runs are idiomatically better suited to the clarinet. In the present recording, for example, decisions were made affecting the choice of octave and the general balance which makes the contrast between clarinet and viola here even stronger. We hope, nonetheless, that the spirit of the music is not less present, and that Herr Brahms would not have taken offense with our efforts. As he himself once said, "Machen Sie es, wie Sie wollen, machen Sie es nur schön." (Do it as you like, but do it beautifully) The Three Fantasistücke op. 73 by Brahms’ idol, Robert Schumann, follow the spirit and tradition already mentioned above. Performed as frequently by piano with clarinet, violin or cello, they were first entitled "Soiréestücke". The version of the Fantasiestücke for piano and cello by Grützmacher ist - although an arrangement too - recognized undoubtedly as one of the staples of the cello repertoire.

 

James Alexander